Large 12th C. Islamic Marble Relief Panel

Near East, Islamic culture, possibly Mamluk Sultanate or Seljuk Empire, ca. 12th to 16th century. A stunning marble wall panel, perhaps intended to serve as a dado, of rectangular form, skillfully hand-sculpted with a mesmerizing relief of both geometric and floral elements on one side. The gorgeous carving is comprised of an arabesque scrolling pattern that twists and turns in an Escher-esque manner to form a pattern of regular tessellation. This pattern features a series of 4 eight-pointed star motifs, all lined horizontally and adorned with interior decorations - the 2 outer stars each exhibiting an 8-petalled flower and the other 2 stars containing characters of Arabic script. Note the nice remains of black pigment embellishing the Arabic writing. Size (of larger piece): 33" L x 6.3" W x 19.5" H (83.8 cm x 16 cm x 49.5 cm); Size (of smaller piece): 21.7" L x 6" W x 19.5" H (55.1 cm x 15.2 cm x 49.5 cm)

According to the Department of Islamic Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, "Geometric patterns make up one of the three nonfigural types of decoration in Islamic art, which also include calligraphy and vegetal patterns. Whether isolated or used in combination with nonfigural ornamentation or figural representation, geometric patterns are popularly associated with Islamic art, largely due to their aniconic quality. These abstract designs not only adorn the surfaces of monumental Islamic architecture but also function as the major decorative element on a vast array of objects of all types. While geometric ornamentation may have reached a pinnacle in the Islamic world, the sources for both the shapes and the intricate patterns already existed in late antiquity among the Greeks, Romans, and Sasanians in Iran. Islamic artists appropriated key elements from the classical tradition, then complicated and elaborated upon them in order to invent a new form of decoration that stressed the importance of unity and order. The significant intellectual contributions of Islamic mathematicians, astronomers, and scientists were essential to the creation of this unique new style."

This piece has been searched against the Art Loss Register database and has been cleared. The Art Loss Register maintains the world's largest database of stolen art, collectibles, and antiques.

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection, collected prior to 2004

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#146680
Condition Report: Split into 2 pieces as shown. Expected nicks, chips, and abrasions throughout, all commensurate with age. Otherwise, very nice with liberal remains of black pigment.