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A bas-relief sculpture representing a bull
(نحت غائر يُمثّل ثوراً)

Title	A bas-relief sculpture representing a bull
Title Original	نحت غائر يُمثّل ثوراً
Publication Date:	Second half of the 3rd century AH / second half of the 9th century AD
Publication Place	- Museum of Islamic Arts; Raqqada; Kairouan
Subject	Carved marble.
Type	Other
Language	Undetermined
Digital	Yes
Manuscript	No
Physical Dimensions	الارتفاع: 38 سم؛ الطول: 57 سم؛ السّماكة: 11 سم
Library:	Museum With No Frontiers
Library Asset ID	MR 009
Record ID	object;ISL;tn;Mus01;34;ar
Library Location	Museum of Islamic Arts; Raqqada; Kairouan
Date	Second half of the 3rd century AH / second half of the 9th century AD
Notes	This bas-relief, which is missing the right part and the lower part, represents a bull carved on marble. The face is in a confrontational position; The rest of the body is in a sideways position, giving the impression that the neck is completely twisted. Facial features are well defined; The nostrils are represented by two folds that end in a cavity. The eyes are spherical, and the pupils are well defined. The eyebrows are furrowed and prominent under the eye sockets. The forehead, defined by two folds, ends with braided hair. Only one horn belonging to the ear remains, while the other horn has been destroyed. The animal's body is symmetrical, but without any visible signs of strength. The lists indicate that the bull was leaning against a tree, of which only the trunk and a number of branches remained. Behind the bull's body stand out two buds and three open, somewhat natural-looking dahlia leaves, each consisting of three lobes. The carved bull is engraved within a frame made up of arches and disc-shaped decorations. The nature of this bas-relief has led some art historians to trace it back to Byzantine origins, and to conclude that this piece was repurposed during the Aghlabid era. However, Islamic art contains many similar sculptures, and frontality as a sculptural theme is widely discussed. We also note that Aghlabid art was characterized in its beginnings by the survival of Byzantine and classical influences.
Sample Text	Mourad Rammah “A bas-relief sculpture representing a bull” in Discover Islamic Art. Museum Without Borders, 2026. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;ISL;tn;Mus01;34;ar

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A bas-relief sculpture representing a bull

(نحت غائر يُمثّل ثوراً)

Publication Date Second half of the 3rd century AH / second half of the 9th century AD

Publication Place - Museum of Islamic Arts; Raqqada; Kairouan

Subject Carved marble.

Type Other

Language Undetermined

Digital Yes

Manuscript No

Physical Dimensions الارتفاع: 38 سم؛ الطول: 57 سم؛ السّماكة: 11 سم

Library Museum With No Frontiers

Library Asset ID MR 009

Record ID object;ISL;tn;Mus01;34;ar

Library Location Museum of Islamic Arts; Raqqada; Kairouan

Date Second half of the 3rd century AH / second half of the 9th century AD

Notes This bas-relief, which is missing the right part and the lower part, represents a bull carved on marble. The face is in a confrontational position; The rest of the body is in a sideways position, giving the impression that the neck is completely twisted. Facial features are well defined; The nostrils are represented by two folds that end in a cavity. The eyes are spherical, and the pupils are well defined. The eyebrows are furrowed and prominent under the eye sockets. The forehead, defined by two folds, ends with braided hair. Only one horn belonging to the ear remains, while the other horn has been destroyed. The animal's body is symmetrical, but without any visible signs of strength. The lists indicate that the bull was leaning against a tree, of which only the trunk and a number of branches remained. Behind the bull's body stand out two buds and three open, somewhat natural-looking dahlia leaves, each consisting of three lobes. The carved bull is engraved within a frame made up of arches and disc-shaped decorations. The nature of this bas-relief has led some art historians to trace it back to Byzantine origins, and to conclude that this piece was repurposed during the Aghlabid era. However, Islamic art contains many similar sculptures, and frontality as a sculptural theme is widely discussed. We also note that Aghlabid art was characterized in its beginnings by the survival of Byzantine and classical influences.

Sample Text Mourad Rammah “A bas-relief sculpture representing a bull” in Discover Islamic Art. Museum Without Borders, 2026. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;ISL;tn;Mus01;34;ar