Tile with Niche Design
dated A.H. 860/1455–56 CE
Medium
Stonepaste; inglaze painted in blue, luster-painted on opaque white glaze
Dimensions
H. 15 1/2 in. (39.4 cm) W. 11 1/4 in. (28.6 cm) D. 1 3/8 in. (3.5 cm)
Classification
Ceramics-Tiles
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Theodore M. Davis Collection, Bequest of Theodore M. Davis, 1915
Accession Number
30.95.26
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Tile with Niche Design*, created by Nusrat al-Din Muhammad in A.H. 860 (1455–56 CE), the pinnacle of 15th-century Islamic ceramic artistry. Measuring 15½ by 11¼ inches, it depicts a graceful architectural niche, likely inspired by a mihrab prayer recess in mosques—adorned with delicate arabesques and Arabic inscriptions. Such tiles were integral to grand architectural ensembles in the Islamic world, transforming walls into shimmering mosaics that elevated sacred and secular spaces. Crafted from stonepaste (a fine frit body prized for its hardness and ability to mimic porcelain...