Islamic Art History - Umayyads of Spain (750-1009)

Great Mosque of Cordoba, Southwest Facade, Spain

Period & Dates: 784-987, Umayyad

Place: Cordoba, Spain

Patron: Abd al-Rahman I

• One of the earliest monuments of the Umayyad Spanish dynasty, built/expanded in 4 different stages.

• Likely built on site of a Christian church, continues to share the space to this day

• Massive hypostyle hall made of Roman spolia columns

Great Mosque of Cordoba, Plan, Spain

Period & Dates: 784-987, Umayyad

Place: Cordoba, Spain

Patron: Abd al-Rahman I

• One of the earliest monuments of the Umayyad Spanish dynasty, built/expanded in 4 different stages.

• 3rd expansion added larger Mihrab space & exclusive area for Caliph to worship

• 4th expansion expanded to the right and made the shape wider/more typical of a mosque

Great Mosque of Cordoba, Interior View, Spain

Period & Dates: 784-987, Umayyad

Place: Cordoba, Spain

Patron: Abd al-Rahman I

• Spolia columns, different heights so two tiered arch systems provides the desired large lofty ceiling

• Rectangular pier on top of column acts as support for the second arch.

• Two-toned painted arches to differentiate between brick and stone blocks

• Two-tone is reminiscent of the Dome of the Rock

• Horseshoe arch becomes associated with the Islamic art world from sites such as this, Spanish Umayyad art adopts this from seeing Visigoth arches in Spain

Great Mosque of Cordoba, Polylobed Arches around the Maqsura, Spain

Period & Dates: 784-987, Umayyad

Place: Cordoba, Spain

Patron: Abd al-Rahman I

• Directly in front of the Mihrab

• 5 lobed arch, very ornate to beautify this significant area of the mosque

• Two-tone idea continues, but is not just plainly painted, the colored in area is decorated to contrast the plain white zones

Great Mosque of Cordoba, Dome in front of the Mihrab/, Spain

Period & Dates: 784-987, Umayyad

Place: Cordoba, Spain

Patron: Abd al-Rahman I

• Uses squinches to support dome, creates octagonal shape

• Creates extreme geometric details through the architecture

• Mosaic, calligraphy, stucco, are all features around the dome to add to the all-over decoration. Everything is ornamental

Great Mosque of Cordoba, Al-Hakam’s Maksura, Spain

Period & Dates: 961-976, Umayyad

Place: Cordoba, Spain

Patron: Al- Hakam

• Maqsura —> exclusive space in front of the Mihrab for the caliph

• Large surfaces covered with stucco, which is an Abbasid invention

• Elaborately decorated to show the maximum amount of importance of this space

Great Mosque of Cordoba, Mihrab with Koranic Inscriptions of the Proclamation of Divine Glory, Spain

Period & Dates: 784-987, Umayyad

Place: Cordoba, Spain

Patron: Abd al-Rahman I

• Not exactly a niche but a small room, represents opening into the divine world

• Glows with divine light from unseen source

• Keyhole arch directly influenced from Visigoth churches

• Most sacred space in the mosque, Koranic inscription (blue dye with gold letters & vice versa) mimics manuscripts

• Text praises the divine and the ruler’s rights

• Byzantine (Not Muslim & did not know Arabic) mosaic artists worked on these mosaics

Madinat al-Zahra, horseshoe arches in the audience hall

Period & Dates: 784-987, Umayyad

Place: Madinat al-Zahra, Spain

Patron: Abd al-Rahman III

• Just outside of Cordoba, influence shows

• Combines Samarran stucco style decor with horseshoe arches, color palette, and extremely elaborate Mihrab niche of G.M. Cordoba

• Functioned as a secular palace with a mosque

• Spanish Umayyad REALLY valued luxury and luxury arts and artists

Ivory Pyxis made for Princess Subh

Period & Dates: 784-987, Umayyad

Place: Spain

Patron: Princess Subh

• Material: IVORY

• Pyxis: cylindrical shape with a lid, often follow lobed design, calligraphy around lid, and all over decoration

• Iconography was almost always royalty, such as lions or depictions of royal families

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Al-Mughira Pyxis

Period & Dates: 784-987, Umayyad

Place: Spain

Patron: Al-Mughira

• Likely a coming of age present for Al-Mughira’s 18th year due to the inscription around the lid stating the date

• Lions attacking bulls —> Lions represent royal family and military conquest

• Four medallions around the pyxis represent people and animals in a symmetrical fashion, shows rich, princely luxuries as well as a love for all over decor & symmetry

• IVORY

Casket of Abd al-Malik

Period & Dates: 1004, Umayyad

Place: Spain

Patron: Abd al-Malik

• Commissioned to celebrate military victory, granted title “Sword of the State”

• IVORY

• 21 Medallions are plated by one infinite connected lobed loop

• Continues common representational themes such as lions, luxury, military conquest, court life, hunting, festivities

Pyxis of Sayf al-Dawla

Period & Dates: 1004, Umayyad

Place: Spain

Patron: Abd al-Malik

• Scenes contained within horseshoe shaped arches, not medallions. Potentially recalling the architecture & gardens of Madinat al-Zahra, or even Paradise as Islam describes it

• Palm tree —> associated with paradise & creation myths

• Tree of life, as well as other fruit trees