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Inscription Plaque, Possibly from a Door
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
This pierced steel plaque is said to have adorned the royal tomb of Shah Suleyman II (reigned 1666–93). The Qur’anic inscription reads: “Verily, God and His Angels send blessings on the Prophet” (33:56). Steel plaques of this type required great skill to manufacture. Because of the steel’s tensile strength and durability, artists were able to create elaborate openwork plaques like this one to decorate the doors of mausolea and mosques.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit lineInscription Plaque, Possibly from a Door, c. 1693. Iran, Safavid period (1501–1722). Forged steel, cut to shape and pierced; overall: 27 x 35 cm (10 5/8 x 13 3/4 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Andrew R. and Martha Holden Jennings Fund, 1994.1
