Pair of Moroccan Polychrome Painted and Gilt Calligraphic Doors

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A monumental pair of Maghrebi zouaq-painted wooden doors, the panels worked with Arabic calligraphic cartouches, roundels and arabesques in red, … Read more A monumental pair of Maghrebi zouaq-painted wooden doors, the panels worked with Arabic calligraphic cartouches, roundels and arabesques in red, blue, green and gold
A magnificent and monumental pair of double doors, each tall leaf of solid wood divided into a vertical sequence of decorated panels and entirely covered in polychrome painting and gilding in the Moroccan zouaq tradition. The upper register of each leaf carries a rectangular panel of Arabic calligraphy — Qur'anic verses and pious invocations — reserved in cream cartouches against a dark ground; below it sits a circular rosette medallion with a raised central boss; and the lower panels are filled with bold, symmetrical arabesque and palmette compositions. Every field is contained within multiple painted borders of running floral scroll, interlace and geometric strapwork in a rich palette of cobalt blue, deep red, green, ochre and gold. Doors of this kind formed the grand entrances of riads, mosques, zawiyas and palatial houses in the imperial cities of Morocco, and combine the Maghreb's three great decorative arts — calligraphy, arabesque and painted ornament — on an architectural scale.
— THE HOUSE —
From The Orient Gates: four generations of the Harb family, Damascene artisans and antique dealers since the 1870s, heirs of the painter Abou Sobhi Al-Tinawi (Muhammad Harb). Every piece is examined, restored and documented in our family ateliers. A certificate of authenticity accompanies every piece.
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Origin: Morocco (Fez / Marrakech), North Africa
Period: 20th century
Materials: Wood, Gesso, Polychrome Pigment, Gold See less