Lot 117
- 117
AN UMAYYAD CARVED MARBLE CAPITAL, SPAIN, 10TH CENTURY |
Estimate
20,000 - 30,000 GBP
bidding is closed
Description
- 37cm. height.
the lower section of cylindrical form, carved and chiselled throughout with acanthus leaves in high relief, surmounted by a band of bead-and-reel ornament beneath an enjoined foliate design, the upper section with flared corners and an inscription in Kufic script to the side facets
Condition
Abrasions throughout due to age, with restoration to the base so as to make the piece self-standing, as viewed.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
Catalogue Note
inscriptions
Possibly: 'Blessing [from God to] ... 'Abdullah'
Three comparable capitals in the Museo Arqueológico Provincial de Córdoba, attributed to Cordoba or Madinat al-Zahra, illustrate the evolution of this type of capital in Umayyad Spain during the reigns of Abd al-Rahman III (912-961 AD) and al-Hakam II (961-976 AD) (see J. Dodds (ed.), Al-Andalus: The Art of Islamic Spain, New York, 1992, nos.37 and 38). The form, which derives ultimately from the classical Corinthian prototype, assumed a more lacey, stylised appearance in the Visigothic and early Umayyad periods, influenced by trends in the Byzantine world where the tendency to drill rather than carve resulted in a more 'honeycombed' effect.
A comparable example can be found in the Museo de la Alhambra (Arte Islámico en Granada: Propuesta para un Museo de la Alhambra, Granada, 1995, p.257, no.56), which evinces a similar two-tiered acanthus design and the egg-and-dart minor band. These features are also shared by capitals from Madinat al-Zahra, including a dated example in the al-Sabah Collection, Kuwait (ibid., p.247, no.39), which bears the name and titles of al-Hakam and the year 362 AH/972-3 AD. A further capital stylistically similar to the present example was published in Les Andalousies de Damas à Cordoue, Paris, 2000, p.106, no.75.
Possibly: 'Blessing [from God to] ... 'Abdullah'
Three comparable capitals in the Museo Arqueológico Provincial de Córdoba, attributed to Cordoba or Madinat al-Zahra, illustrate the evolution of this type of capital in Umayyad Spain during the reigns of Abd al-Rahman III (912-961 AD) and al-Hakam II (961-976 AD) (see J. Dodds (ed.), Al-Andalus: The Art of Islamic Spain, New York, 1992, nos.37 and 38). The form, which derives ultimately from the classical Corinthian prototype, assumed a more lacey, stylised appearance in the Visigothic and early Umayyad periods, influenced by trends in the Byzantine world where the tendency to drill rather than carve resulted in a more 'honeycombed' effect.
A comparable example can be found in the Museo de la Alhambra (Arte Islámico en Granada: Propuesta para un Museo de la Alhambra, Granada, 1995, p.257, no.56), which evinces a similar two-tiered acanthus design and the egg-and-dart minor band. These features are also shared by capitals from Madinat al-Zahra, including a dated example in the al-Sabah Collection, Kuwait (ibid., p.247, no.39), which bears the name and titles of al-Hakam and the year 362 AH/972-3 AD. A further capital stylistically similar to the present example was published in Les Andalousies de Damas à Cordoue, Paris, 2000, p.106, no.75.