Window
Unknown Artist
18th century
Medium
Gypsum, stained glass
Dimensions
Window without wood frame: H. 16 3/8 in. (41.6 cm) W. 16 1/2 in. (41.9 cm) D. 1 1/8 in. (2.9 cm) Window with wood frame: H. 23 in. (58.4 cm) W. 19 3/4 in. (50.2 cm) D. 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm)
Classification
Glass
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of William R. Ware, 1893
Accession Number
93.26.9
Art Historical Context
This delicate 18th-century window crafted from gypsum and stained glass, exemplifies the refined artistry of Islamic decorative traditions. Measuring just over 16 inches square without its wooden frame, it likely served as a small architectural element—perhaps in a mosque, palace, private residence—designed to filter sunlight into vibrant patterns. The combination of gypsum, a versatile plaster often molded into intricate frames, with colored stained glass highlights the technical ingenuity of Islamic craftsmen, who achieved luminous effects without figurative imagery, adhering to aniconic pri...