V&A Voyage
Through the Jameel Gallery of Islamic Art
Presentation
Where will our voyage take us?
We will be visiting
the Jameel Gallery
of Islamic Art at the
Victoria and Albert
Museum.
The V&A is a good
place to investigate
Islamic art and
design. It has one of
the best collections
in the world.
Where are the objects we will see from?
Here is a map
of the Middle
East. We’ll be
seeing objects
from Iran,
Turkey and
Egypt
What buildings did the objects come from?
We’ll see objects from both palaces and religious
buildings.
Palace of Chihil Sutun, Isfahan
The Süleymaniye Mosque, Istanbul
What will we be looking for?
Geometric Shapes
Plants and flowers
Ardabil Carpet:
Detail, white silk
warp and weft
with knotted
woolen pile Iran,
1539-40.
Museum no. 2721893
Minbar:
Side panel of
carved
elements of
rosewood,
ebony and teak,
Egypt, 1296, set
in a modern
framework.
Museum no.
891-1884
Figures
Calligraphy
Tile:
Detail from a
panel with a
picnic scene,
Iran, probably
Isfahan, 16001700
Museum no.
139-1891
These are the four design elements we will be looking out for.
Chimneypiece:
Detail from
tilework, Turkey,
Istanbul, 1731.
Museum no. 7031891
All images ©V&A Images
What will we be looking at?
Tile Panel with Picnic Scene
Ottoman
Chimneypiece
Geometry
The Ardabil Carpet
Page from manuscript
with illustration of
Khusraw killing a lion,
Iran, about 1632.
Museum no. L.16131964
Minbar of Sultan
Qa’itbay
Tile Panel with Picnic Scene, Iran, 17th century
Tile Panel with Picnic Scene, Iran,
probably Isfahan, 1600-1700
Museum number 139-1891 ©V&A Images
Find out more
• What is going on?
• What’s on the menu?
• What are they
wearing?
• Find all the flowers
Tile Panel with Picnic Scene, Iran, probably Isfahan, 1600-1700
Museum number 139-1891 ©V&A Images
The Ottoman Chimney-place
Tile inscribed with the name of one of the Companions of the Cave
What do you think this is?
What is it made of?
It has some writing on it. This refers to a
Tilework Chimney-piece, 1731. Museum no. 7031891 ©V&A Images
famous story.
What is the message of the story?
The miracle of the Companions of the Cave and their
faithful dog, Qitmir, is mentioned in the Qur’an. The
story tells you that the Companions were kept safe and
protected, because they were good and faithful people.
Why do you think their names are on this
chimneypiece?
V&A Voyage © V&A Images
10
What can you see on these tiles?
11
Can you create an Ottoman style tile?
Think about...
Colours
Patterns
Symmetry
Materials
12
The Ardabil Carpet, Iran 1539-40
The Ardabil Carpet, Iran, 1539-40. Museum no. 272-1893 ©V&A Images
What does the writing say?
This inscription tells us who
made the carpet and when it
was made.
Can you see the date?
The Ardabil Carpet, Museum Number 272-1893 ©V&A Images
14
Where was the carpet made for?
The carpet was made to
be placed inside this
beautiful religious
building in Iran.
It is a shrine where an
important holy person is
buried.
The shrine of Shaykh Safi al-Din Ardabili ©V&A Images
Can you create your own carpet design?
Think about…
•Symmetry
•Plant patterns
•Dividing up a
central pattern and
using a quarter in
each corner
•Borders
•Inscriptions
The Ardabil Carpet, Museum Number 272-1893 ©V&A
Images
Minbar, Cairo, Egypt 1468-1496
What do you think this
might be?
What sort of building
was it made for?
What is it for?
What is it made of?
Minbar, Cairo, Egypt,
1468-1496
Museum no. 1050:12–1869
©V&A Images
Take a closer look at the minbar
The minbar is made
of wood and
decorated with
amazingly
complicated patterns
of geometric shapes.
Some of the shapes
have been filled with
small panels of
carved ivory
(elephant tusk).
Detail from Minbar, Cairo, Egypt, 1468-1496
Museum no. 1050:1-2–1869
©V&A Images
Rules in the Museum
 Look closely but don’t
touch. Some of the
objects are hundreds of
years old and are very
fragile
 Don’t run around in the
gallery.
 Discuss the objects in
groups and ask lots of
questions but don’t shout.
 Get lots of ideas for your
own designs, which you
will make back at school