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Mihrab, 1354–55/ A.H. 755
Isfahan, Iran
Mosaic of monochrome-glaze tiles on composite body, set on plaster; H. 135 1/16 in. x W.113 11/16 in. (343.1 x 288.7 cm)
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1939 (39.20)
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Description
The mihrab, or prayer niche, is the most important element in any mosque because it indicates the direction of Mecca, toward which the faithful turn in prayer five times each day. Throughout the Islamic world, attention has traditionally been lavished on the decoration of the mihrab. This magnificent example comes from Iran, once the seat of the Persian Empire. It is made of small pieces of ceramic tile. First the tiles were fired to bring out the brilliance of the glaze, and then the pieces were painstakingly fitted together to form patterns of dazzling beauty and complexity.
Because fine writing is regarded as both a virtue and an act of religious devotion, calligraphy looms large in Islamic art. Here we see that Arabic texts have been incorporated into the elaborate mosaic of floral and geometric designs. The inscription in the outer panel is a saying from the Qur'an referring to the duties of the faithful and the heavenly reward awaiting those who build mosques. The rectangular panel at the back of the niche contains the words "the mosque is the house of every pious person."
View more highlights from the Museum's Department of Islamic Art.
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