Aleppo: Tile Makers

Date: 1699

An inscription in Arabic along the bottom of a glaze tile indicates that it is “the work of the humble Musa, son of Istifan, in the city of Aleppo, in 1699.” The date is given in the inscription according to the Common Era. Other pieces from this workshop have been conserved. The style of the painting relates to that of icons produced in Aleppo, such as those associated with the workshop of Yusuf al-Musawwir and his family. The iconography on this ceramic piece represents a scene from the Bible. Specifically, it shows the sacrifice ritual offered by the prophet Elijah. It is part of the G. Antaki collection, and is now in the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris. See also: Potters; Glazed-Pottery Manufacturers; Icon Painters.

Citation: David, Jean-Claude, Alep (Paris: Flammarion, 2002), p. 298.