Mashrabiyya Screen
Unknown Artist
15th–16th century
Medium
Wood; turned
Classification
Wood
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of S.S. Howland, 1910
Accession Number
11.86.8
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Islamic Art collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, this Mashrabiyya Screen from the 15th–16th century exemplifies the exquisite woodwork of the Mamluk era, likely originating from Egypt or the Levant. Mashrabiyya, a hallmark of traditional Islamic architecture, refers to intricately latticed wooden screens used in windows or balconies. These screens allowed light and breezes to filter into harems and private spaces while preserving modesty by obscuring views from the street below—a clever fusion of form and function in bustling medieval cities. Crafted from turned wood, ...