A MULTAN ARCHITECTURAL POTTERY TILE WITH SURA AL-IKHLAS
Multan, Sindh, Punjab, late 19th - early 20th century

In the shape of a mihrab recessed niche, painted in turquoise, yellow, reddish-brown, green and cobalt blue on a white slip ground, with a central calligraphic medallion inscribed with the Quranic Sura al-Ikhlas (112) in a stylised intertwined thuluth script, producing a star-shaped geometric motif in the middle surrounding a green-painted rosette, framed within an arch of reddish-brown foliage and concentric decorative outer borders featuring white petals against a cobalt blue ground; rosette sprays against a turquoise ground; and a solid cobalt blue border, the reverse plain and marked with semi-circular indentations, 32.4cm x 38.3cm.