tour 20 of 22
Enlightenment: Ancient Scripts
Tiles from the Alhambra
These tiles with inscriptions in Arabic came
from the floor of Salón de Comares in the Alhambra Palace. They are
from the first two phases of installation and refurbishment. One
group is decorated in lustre and belongs to the original
installation of 1354. These were made either in Granada or in
Malaga, the main centre of ceramic production at this time. But
they were very worn by 1492 (the conquest of Granada) and were
replaced with cuerda
seca tiles in the same pattern. These in turn
were replaced in 1589 with the tiles in place
today.
The main motif of
the square tiles is an inscription in Arabic that translates as
'There is no victor except God'. This was the motto
of the Nasrid rulers of Spain (1232-1492) and is also found carved
in stucco in the Alhambra
Palace.
The tiles were
acquired by the sculptor Anne Seymour Damer (1749-1828) while she
was visiting Granada in 1791. She donated them to the British
Museum in 1802. Damer was very impressed by the Alhambra. In a
letter to Mary Berry, she wrote 'What the Alhambra has been
it is still easy to see and it is still admirable, but miserably
ruined, out of all repair, neglected… There cannot be a greater
admirer of the Moorish style for the inside of houses than I am.
Were I a great king in a fine climate I should copy it for my
palace …'