Morocco in NY – At The Met

A slice of 14th Century Moroccan life in the Metropolitan Museum is nearing completion. Not since the 1980’s has the museum underwritten a courtyard of this nature. Under wraps since December, fourteen craftsmen from Morocco have been building a medieval Maghrebi-Andalusian-style courtyard, which will feature the museums vast holdings of Islamic art.  The master craftsmen from Fez are specialists in the ancient mosaic tile work known as zellij. Imagine these craftsmen living in New York, working some days in their jabador tunics and crimson fezzes, recreating an ancient courtyard based on specific historical details and artistry, the goal of looking as authentic to Moroccan eyes as to those of scholars. This work is not even done in Morocco any longer, as it is too too expensive.