Artwork

Mihrab of the mosque of Masih Pasha (Nur al-Din), Cairo

Mihrab of the mosque of Masih Pasha (Nur al-Din), Cairo, by K.A.C. Creswell, photographic, 1918
Mihrab of the mosque of Masih Pasha (Nur al-Din), Cairo, by K.A.C. Creswell, photographic, 1918

Mihrab of the mosque of Masih Pasha (Nur al-Din), Cairo is a photographic photography by K.A.C. Creswell. It dates from 1918 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. This photograph depicts the Mihrab of the mosque of Masih Pasha (Nur al-Din) in Cairo.

About this work

Overview

This photograph depicts the Mihrab of the mosque of Masih Pasha (Nur al-Din) in Cairo. It is part of a large collection of architectural views acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum's National Art Library from Professor Sir K.A.C. Creswell.

History & Provenance

The collection was acquired between 1921 and 1939. Creswell, a pioneer in medieval Islamic architectural history, likely sourced the photographs from his fieldwork for his publications. He began taking his own photographs at least by 1916, some of which were published in a 1917 guide-book to Cairo's monuments.

Context

Creswell's work elevated the field of Islamic architectural history through rigorous scholarship and high-quality photography. His publications, including 'Early Muslim Architecture' and 'Muslim Architecture of Egypt', remain fundamental research tools in the field.

Artist & collection

Artist

K.A.C. Creswell

He spent years crawling across the Middle East with a bulky camera, measuring every arch and dome with his lens.