Inscriptional Panel from a Mosque
Unknown Artist
late 16th–17th century
Medium
Basalt
Dimensions
H. 11 in. (27.9 cm) W. 77 1/2 in. (196.9 cm) W. each paneL. 15 1/2 in. (39.4 cm) D. 2 1/2 in. (6.4 cm) Combined weight 91 lbs 41.3 kg) a- 18lbs b-18lbs c-17lbs d-18lbs e-20lbs
Classification
Stone
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Louis V. Bell Fund, 1986
Accession Number
1986.145
Tags
Art Historical Context
This inscriptional panel, carved from durable basalt stone, hails from a mosque in the late 16th to 17th century, a golden era for Islamic architecture under Ottoman influence. Spanning an impressive 77½ inches wide and 11 inches high, it comprises five interlocking sections—each weighing 17 to 20 pounds, totaling 91 pounds—designed to form a continuous frieze. Such panels adorned mosque interiors or exteriors, bearing elegant Arabic calligraphy that likely featured Quranic verses, prayers, or foundational inscriptions, serving as both decorative and devotional elements. In Islamic art, calli...