Author
Unknown (makers)
Publication Date
936
Publication Place
Madinat al-Zahra (made) -
Subject
Architectural Fittings
Type
Other
Language
Undetermined
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Physical Dimensions
Height: 4in, Width: 10.5in
Library
Victoria and Albert Museum
Library Asset ID
A.116-1919
Record ID
A.116-1919
Library Location
Middle East Section
Date
936
Notes
Sculpture; Probably Palace of Madinat al-Zahra; Limestone Islamic Spain 10th cent
Sample Text
Transliteration,
Tarihsel bağlam
Madinat al-Zahra' founded in 936 by Abd al-Rahman III (912-961) was to be a new imperial capital to honour his recently proclaimed title of Caliph. The site chosen for the new city was on the slopes of the Sierra Morena on a large natural spur between two ravines, located just 5 kilometres east of Cordoba. The landscape was utilised in the design of the city to further exalt the position of the Caliph, by dividing the city into terraced levels with the Abd al-Rahman's official Caliphal residence occupying the highest point followed by other lower level official structures on the levels below. Construction of the city continued apace under Abd al-Rahman's successor al-Hakam II. Two richly decorated reception halls used to receive foreign dignitaries were constructed. The pace of the construction prompted new sourcing of marble including the re-opening of local marble quarries in addition to importing marble from as far away as Byzantium and Tunisia. Previous Umayyad building projects in Spain had relied heavily on re-using salvaged material from older Roman and Visigoth constructions. However, the scale of construction at Madinat al-Zahra' prompted the carving of columns and capitals as well as wall decorations specifically for the construction of the imperial city. As a result a distinctly Iberian Umayyad style emerged, which decoratively borrowed much from late Roman Corinthian models with the innovation of deeply undercutting more abstract decorative motifs often vegetal in inspiration. Another important development was the elaborate carving of stone paneling, which was added onto the surface of the architectural structure. The V&A collectoin includes many different fragments of carved decorative limestone wall panels and carved marble architectural fragments. All surfaces of the internal façade would have been decorated with such carvings. This universal coverage allowed interior space to act as a single unified decorative entity.
Malzemeler ve teknikler
Carved limestone Limestone Carved
Fiziksel açıklama
Fragment of architectural ornament, Limestone carved with a band of scrolling foliage in sunken relief
Üslup
Islamic Spain
