Square Tile
Late 19th century
Medium
Buff pottery with polychrome painting over white glaze
Dimensions
11.9 × 11.7 × 1.8 cm (4 11/16 × 4 9/16 × 3/4 in.)
Classification
ceramics
Department
Arts of Africa
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
16704
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Geometric tilework comprised of individually cut pieces, or zillij, is a prominent feature of Moroccan architecture dating back more than 700 years. It is incredibly costly to make due to the skill involved in the design and layout of the mosaic. This imitation zillij tile achieves a similar effect while reducing the cost of labor and materials, and it speaks to the enduring importance of the zillij style as a highly prized art form in 19th-century Morocco. In an architectural context, numerous ...
About the Artist
Islamic
Islamic art, a profound visual tradition originating in the 7th century CE, flourished across vast territories from Spain to India under Muslim rule, encompassing architecture, ceramics, manuscripts, textiles, and metalwork produced by diverse artisans rather than a single named master. Drawing from pre-Islamic Sasanian, Byzantine, and late antique influences, its early development under the Umayy...