Publication Date
92 AH/711-712 AD
Publication Place
-
Short life
Subject
Fresco/Fresco.
Type
Other
Language
Undetermined
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Library
Museum With No Frontiers
Record ID
object;ISL;jo;Mus01_H;45;ar
Library Location
Short life
Date
92 AH/711-712 AD
Notes
The piece is a fresco located in its original location in the lower band of the western wall of the reception hall at Qusair Amra. The painting depicts six kings lined up in two rows: three in the front row - who are the most important, and three in the back row - who are the least important. These pictures were accompanied by writings in Arabic and Greek identifying four of these kings: Khosrau (Khosrau), the Sassanid Emperor, Caesar, the Byzantine Emperor, Al-Najashi, King of Abyssinia, and Roderic, the Gothic King of Spain. As for the other two rulers who appear in the painting, historical conclusions have shown that they are the king of China and the Khagan of the Turks. Since Roderic ruled for only one year before he was killed in a battle he fought in 92 / 711-712 against the Muslims who were under the leadership of Tariq ibn Ziyad, it can be concluded that the painting was painted in the same year. It is worth noting that the construction of Qusayr Amra was also attributed to Al-Walid II bin Yazid. Al-Walid II had been exiled from the court of his uncle Hisham bin Abdul Malik in Al-Rusafa, and lived in Azraq, whose oasis Qusayr Amra is only 35 km away. Likewise, the wall paintings in Qusayr Amra, including scenes of hunting and bathing, and pictures of dancers and musicians, are consistent with what was known about Al-Walid II indulging in amusement and promiscuity. The painting is currently largely destroyed, as at the beginning of the 20th century, Aloy Meusel tried to remove it in a primitive way to move it from its place. Only a few parts of the painting remain of the image of the Sassanian king, who appears as a young man without a beard, and smaller parts of the image of the Byzantine Emperor.
Sample Text
Ghazi Bisheh “Wall Paintings_Image of the Six Kings” in Discover Islamic Art. Museum Without Borders, 2026. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;ISL;jo;Mus01_H;45;ar
