Inscription Plaque, Possibly from a Door

Cleveland Museum of Art

Inscription Plaque, Possibly from a Door

Date
c. 1693
Medium
forged steel, cut to shape and pierced
Culture
Iran, Safavid period (1501–1722)
Department
Islamic Art
Institution
Cleveland Museum of Art

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. Calligraphy was the supreme art form in the Islamic world.

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