{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1298104"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1298104/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2014HH8591/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2014HH8591/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2014HH8591","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2014HH8592","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2014HH9360","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KA0398","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KA0942","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1298104/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1298104","accessionNumber":"504B-1883","objectType":"Panel","titles":[{"title":"The Damascus Room","type":""}],"summaryDescription":"The following excerpt is taken from Dorothea Duda.  \"Painted and lacquered woodwork in Arab houses of Damascus and Aleppo\", in Lacquerwork in Asia and Beyond:  Colloquies on Art and Archaeology in Asia No. 11, ed. William Watson (London:  Percival David Foundation, 1981), pp. 247-9:\r\n\r\nThere existed an old tradition of using lacquer for the final treatment of painted wooden surfaces in the Near East.  The lacquer used probably came from the Mediterranean Sandarak cypress (Tetraclinis articulata), a fine scented resin having been exported to Europe by medieval Arab physicians for medical treatment and for burning as incense. \r\n\r\nMore plentifully preserved are the painted and lacquered wooden interiors of the Ottoman period in both Istanbul and in Anatolia, in mosques, private houses and palaces.  This style of decoration was transmitted from Istanbul to the whole of the Balkans and to the Maghrib.  \r\n\r\nIn Damascus and Aleppo alike, all houses had flat roofs.  Also in Damascus the ‘ataba (threshold) room rose above the roofs and received light from up there by rows of windows on all four sides.  The houses had two floors, but the main liwans (halls) rose through both floors.  So these rooms offered agreeable dimensions, and cooler ventilation in the summer.  Marble panelling, relief ornamentation, mosaics, tiles and manifold patterns by incrustations of coloured pastes of plaster gave a serene and gay aspect to these old town houses, especially in Damascus. Again and again, from the 17th to the 19th centuries, European travellers were charmed by the delightful Aleppine and Damascene houses and enthusiastically described them in their reports.  The inhabitants of these palaces were the pashas or governors of the Ottoman administration with their families, Syrian landowners, the gentry, and wealthy Muslim, Christian, Jewish and Armenian merchants.\r\n","physicalDescription":"Rectangular shaped panel made of carved wood, painted entirely on one side with a horizontal composition consisting of an Arabic inscription painted in golden relief set against fine painted vegetal sprays in dark green.  The inscription is surrounded by a fine red band and a wider geometric border. Dated 1204H. in the bottom left. ","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Carved wood and painted; lacquered","categories":[{"text":"Woodwork","id":"THES48877"},{"text":"Architecture","id":"THES48993"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MES","id":"THES48607"},"images":["2014HH8591","2014HH8592","2014HH9360","2017KA0398","2017KA0942"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"A","id":"THES304376"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Panel from a Damascus room","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Syria","id":"x29200"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""},{"place":{"text":"Damascus","id":"x32596"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1788","earliest":"1788-01-01","latest":"1788-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"504:1-1883","id":"O41776"},"association":"Set"},{"object":{"text":"504A-1883","id":"O1298107"},"association":"Set"}],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"90","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"21.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"1.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"LW 26.1.10","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"V&amp;A Archival Record (26145/1883): \"Room from Damascus.  The internal panelling of the sides, with alcoves or recesses, and also the ceiling, together with glazed and latticed windows. Put together and exhibited in the Persian Court.  Arab art. 18th century.  Purchased from Monsieur Henri Veragneux for £500 in 1883.\"\n\nOriginally part of the Damascus Room (411-1880)","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Damascus room. Painted wooden panel with Arabic inscription and flowers, Syria, Ottoman period, dated 1204H/1789","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Duda, Dorothea.  \"Painted and lacquered woodwork in Arab houses of Damascus and Aleppo\", in Lacquerwork in Asia and Beyond:  Colloquies on Art and Archaeology in Asia No. 11, ed. William Watson (London:  Percival David Foundation, 1981)"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Annie-Christine Daskalakis, <i>Damascus 18th and 19th century houses in the Ablaq-'Ajami style of decoration: local and international significance</i> (PhD Thesis, New York University, Graduate School of Arts and Science, 2004): vol. 1, pp. 269-271; vol. 2: pp. 537-8; plates 4.17, 4.18, 4.19"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Julia Gonnella and Jens Kröger (eds.), <i>Angels, peonies, and fabulous creatures: The Aleppo Room in Berlin</i>. International symposium of the Museum für Islamische Kunst - Staatliche Museen zu Berlin 12-14 April 2002 (Münster : Rhema, 2008)"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"This panel gives the date of 1204 AH equivalent to 1789 AD.","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"2015 Damascus Room Display \r\n\r\nNr. 21: Cupboard doors, window grille and panel from the V&A's Damascus Room\r\nSyria, 1789\r\n \r\nThe decoration of the wood panelling is based on local architectural forms, as well as imported textile designs. The inscription contains poetry, composed for the particular space. The brightness of the original paint colours has disappeared beneath darkened varnish. A window has been cleaned on the left-hand cupboard door to reveal the original colours.\r\n\r\nPoplar wood with decoration in plaster relief, paints and metal foils.\r\n\r\nMuseum nos. 504, B, C-1883","date":{"text":"2015","earliest":"2015-01-01","latest":"2015-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["504B-1883"],"accessionNumberNum":"504","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1883,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-01-06","recordCreationDate":"2014-08-06","availableToBook":true}}