Sitarah for the Prophet’s Mosque

TXT 345

Istanbul


1876 – 1909


dark-green silk with orange and red silk appliqués, relief-embroidered in silver and silver-gilt wire over card and cotton thread padding



277 x 158cm

The prayer upon the Prophet at the top of the sitarah is follwed by the shahadah, divided between two small medallions, and Surat al-Ahzab, XXXIII, verse 45. Ayat al-Kursi (‘Verse of the Throne’, Surat al-Baqarah, II, verse 255) is in the oval frame, interrupted by small medallions enclosing the names of Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, ‘Ali, Hasan and Husayn.