Capital
ca. 960-980 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This capital would have formed the head or top part of a column. It comes from the palace complex of Madinat al-Zahra near Córdoba in southern Spain. The complex was founded in 936 by a member of the Umayyad dynasty of Spain.
It shows the transition in decorative styles which occurred in Islamic art as the heritage of classical antiquity began to evolve into a more abstract, recognisably Islamic aesthetic. The capital has a shape that is clearly rooted in ancient Roman forms, but the surfaces have been decorated with plant motifs. It resembles capitals made in the Byzantine empire.
It shows the transition in decorative styles which occurred in Islamic art as the heritage of classical antiquity began to evolve into a more abstract, recognisably Islamic aesthetic. The capital has a shape that is clearly rooted in ancient Roman forms, but the surfaces have been decorated with plant motifs. It resembles capitals made in the Byzantine empire.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Marble, carved |
| Brief description | Marble capital with plant motifs, Spain (Córdoba),ca. 960-980. |
| Physical description | Marble capital. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Style | |
| Gallery label | Jameel Gallery
Capitals with Realistic Decoration
(bottom and centre)
Spain, Córdoba
950–75 and 960–80
The lower two column capitals are from the palace complex of Madinat al-Zahra near Córdoba, founded in 936. The lowest has a ‘composite’ form that is entirely Roman, except for the inscription in Arabic along the top edge. The middle capital has the same shape, but the surfaces have been decorated with plant motifs.
Carved marble
Museum nos. A.10-1922; A.55-1925. Given by Dr W.L. Hildburgh, FSA(2006) |
| Credit line | Given by Dr W. L. Hildburgh FSA |
| Summary | This capital would have formed the head or top part of a column. It comes from the palace complex of Madinat al-Zahra near Córdoba in southern Spain. The complex was founded in 936 by a member of the Umayyad dynasty of Spain. It shows the transition in decorative styles which occurred in Islamic art as the heritage of classical antiquity began to evolve into a more abstract, recognisably Islamic aesthetic. The capital has a shape that is clearly rooted in ancient Roman forms, but the surfaces have been decorated with plant motifs. It resembles capitals made in the Byzantine empire. |
| Associated object | |
| Bibliographic reference | Mariam Rosser-Owen, Islamic Arts from Spain, London, 2010, p.24. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | A.55-1925 |
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| Record created | December 2, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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