comprising forty-five ceramic underglazed tiles decorated in blue, emerald green, ochre and manganese on a white ground featuring a composite mosque with archways, domes, a minbar and thin minarets set within a columned archway, in a metal mount with wood backing and four suspension brackets

Ex-collection Françoise and Claude Bourelier. 
Drouot, Paris, 4 May 1982, lot 104.

The tiles generally bright and colorful, some of the tiles with chips particularly to angles including some restorations infills and in some cases over-painting, the edges with further minor abrasions, possibly as a result of being reset in present mount, some pitting and uneven to surface, as viewed.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Tunisia saw a great revival of ceramic production in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, notably in the reintroduction of ancient ceramic techniques and styles, particularly from the Hafsid period of the thirteenth century. This monumental tile panel combines multiple motifs to create an imaginary mosque with delightful floral and fruity details set into the architecture itself. A comparable example is in the Museum of Mediterranean and Near Eastern Antiquities (Medelhavsmuseet), Stockholm, inv. no. S.N.I. 031.