Tile Decorated with Entrelacs Pattern Based on Octagons
Unknown Artist
second half 14th century
Medium
Stonepaste; carved and glazed in turquoise and aubergine
Classification
Ceramics-Tiles
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Walter D. Binger Gift, 1972
Accession Number
1972.88
Art Historical Context
This exquisite tile from the second half of the 14 century showcases the mastery of Islamic ceramic artistry, featuring an intricate entrelacs pattern built around octagons. Crafted from stonepaste—a composite material of quartz, clay, and frit that allowed for exceptional hardness and a luminous glaze—the tile was carved in relief before being coated in vibrant turquoise and aub hues. These colors, evoking the natural beauty of lapis lazuli and eggplant tones, were fired to create a durable, shimmering surface ideal for architectural decoration. In the Islamic world of the late medieval peri...