ticketsMember | Make a donation

The Archangel Israfil

late 14th–early 15th century
Not on view
Returned to lender
This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.
In Islamic belief, as in Christianity, archangels will play a key role in the Last Judgment. Heralding the Day of Resurrection, the angel Israfil blows his trumpet, calling all creatures to assemble in Jerusalem. The celestial being is named not in the Qur’an but in hadith, or the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, and scholars specify that he sounds his call from the sacred Rock. He is discussed along with Gabriel, whose entry begins on this folio, and other angels in this cosmographic study of both the divine and material aspects of the world.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: The Archangel Israfil
  • Date: late 14th–early 15th century
  • Geography: Made in Egypt or Syria
  • Culture: Mamluk
  • Medium: Opaque watercolor and ink on paper
  • Dimensions: 15 3/8 × 9 5/8 in. (39.1 × 24.4 cm)
  • Classification: Manuscripts and Illuminations
  • Credit Line: Courtesy of the Trustees of the British Museum
  • Curatorial Department: Medieval Art and The Cloisters