Fragment of a Frieze
Unknown Artist
10th century
Medium
Plaster; carved and painted
Dimensions
H. 5 3/8 in. (13.6 cm) W. 8 7/8 in. (22.5 cm) D. 1 in. (2.5 cm)
Classification
Plaster
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1940
Accession Number
40.170.678
Art Historical Context
This delicate *Fragment of a Frieze from the 10th offers a glimpse into the refined world of Islamic architectural decoration. Likely originating from a mosque, palace, or building in the Islamic worldpossibly regions like Iran, Iraq, or Central Asia—this small plaster piece (just 5 3/8 inches high) served as part of a larger horizontal band adorning walls or arches. During the 10th century, a golden age of Abbasid and regional dynasties, such friezes transformed interiors into vibrant spaces of spiritual and aesthetic harmony, emphasizing geometry and rhythm over human figures to evoke divine...