Inscription Plaque, Possibly from a Door

Description

This pierced steel plaque is said to have adorned the royal tomb of Shah Suleyman II (reigned 1666–93). The Qur’anic inscription reads: “Verily, God and His Angels send blessings on the Prophet” (33:56). Steel plaques of this type required great skill to manufacture. Because of the steel’s tensile strength and durability, artists were able to create elaborate openwork plaques like this one to decorate the doors of mausolea and mosques.

Provenance

(Oliver Hoare Ltd., London, UK, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art) (?-1994); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (1994-)

Inscription Plaque, Possibly from a Door

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c. 1693

Accession Number

1994.1

Medium

forged steel, cut to shape and pierced

Dimensions

Overall: 27 x 35 cm (10 5/8 x 13 3/4 in.)

Classification

Metalwork

Museum

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Cleveland, United States

Credit Line

Andrew R. and Martha Holden Jennings Fund