Star-Shaped Tile
Unknown Artist
13th century
Medium
Stonepaste; overglaze and luster-painted
Classification
Ceramics-Tiles
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Rafael Guastavino, 1928
Accession Number
28.89.7
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite star-shaped tile, crafted by an unknown artist in the13th century, h from the vibrant world of Islamic art. Likely originating from regions like Syria or Iran during the medieval Islamic Golden Age, such tiles adorned the intricate interiors of mosques,, and madrasas. Their star form echoes the geometric precision of Islamic architecture, symbolizing infinite patterns of the universe and divine order, while motifs of birds—evident in the tags—often evoke paradise gardens and spiritual harmony. Made from stonepaste, a fine-grained ceramic body developed by Islamic potters to mim...