Tile with Double-Arched Prayer Niche (Mihrab) Ilkhanid dynasty (1256–1353), 13th century

Editor: This stunning ceramic tile, called “Tile with Double-Arched Prayer Niche (Mihrab)”, comes to us from the Ilkhanid dynasty, sometime in the 13th century. It's currently housed here at The Art Institute of Chicago. What immediately grabs me is how dense the decoration is, the calligraphy nearly vibrating with energy. What's your take? Curator: Oh, it's positively dreamy, isn’t it? The way the cobalt blue dances with that creamy ground... For me, it’s not just about the visual feast, but more of the echoes of devotion. Each curve of the calligraphy, a silent prayer reaching upwards, and yet somehow grounded by the tangible reality of the ceramic. Can you feel that tension, that pull between the earthly and the divine? Editor: I do. The arches do seem to frame something sacred. I'm curious, what does the text say? Curator: Alas, my friend, my Arabic is rustier than an old swing set! But these are verses from the Quran. To be in the presence of such a tile would be like standing in the aura of whispered blessings. The very materiality feels charged, doesn't it? Like generations have breathed intentions into it. Have you ever had a piece affect you in that almost palpable way? Editor: That's a beautiful thought. I guess it is that layering of intent, and artistry. So, in its day, it really would have been speaking, constantly... Curator: Precisely! A shimmering, ceramic sermon. Gosh, art history is the best, isn't it? It connects us all somehow.