The Industrial Arts in Spain Part 27
"Round the side, each quatrefoil is filled with a star having a leaf ornament. The same decoration is repeated in the s.p.a.ces between the larger quatrefoils on the cover.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Arabic]
"The whole is carved in pierced work, except a band which forms the upper upright portion of the box, round the side of the lid. This band has an Arabic inscription:
[Ill.u.s.tration: Arabic]
"A favour of G.o.d to the servant of G.o.d, Al Hakem al Mostanser Billah, commander of the faithful." He was a Caliph who reigned at Cordova, A.D.
961-976."
Another very interesting oblong box is preserved in the same Museum, No.
301-'66. The cover and sides are carved with scroll foliated ornament: the hinges and clasp are of chased silver inlaid with niello. Round the sides, immediately below the lid is the following Arabic inscription in Cufic characters:
[Ill.u.s.tration: Arabic]
"In the name of G.o.d. This (box) was ordered to be made by Seidat Allah, the wife of Abdo-r-rahman, prince of the believers. G.o.d be merciful and satisfied with him."
[Ill.u.s.tration: IVORY BOX. MOORISH. 10TH CENTURY. SOUTH KENSINGTON MUSEUM.]
This inscription must allude to Abd er Rahman III. the first Caliph of Cordova who bore the t.i.tle of Emir, el Mumenin. The formula "G.o.d be merciful," &c., denotes that he was dead when it was written. He died A.D. 961. (See woodcut.)
Another casket, undoubtedly the most important in size which is known of this period, proceeds from Sanguesa, in the province of Navarre, and is now preserved in the treasury of the cathedral of Pamplona.
This splendid box, hitherto undescribed, is 15 inches long, by 9 wide. A woodcut is given opposite. It is completely covered with carvings in relief, within circular cusped medallions, with figures in the centres representing different subjects: men seated, hawking, or struggling with wild beasts, and numerous single figures of lions, stags, and other animals. The intermediate s.p.a.ces contain an ornamentation of leaves and flowers which is accommodated to the geometrical style of Saracenic art. Round the upper part of this box appears an Arabic inscription in fine Cufic characters.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Arabic]
"In the name of G.o.d. The blessing of G.o.d, the complete felicity, the happiness, the fulfilment of the hope of good works, and the adjourning the fatal period (of death), be with the Hagib Seifo daula (sword of the State), Abdelmalek ben Almansur. This (box) was made by the orders (of the said Hagib), under the inspection or direction of his chief eunuch, Nomayr ben Mohammad Alaumeri, his slave in the year of 395," [A.D.
1005].
In the centre medallion, on the opposite side to the lock, is represented the standing figure of a man who is attacked by two lions.
He holds on his arm a shield, upon which is engraved an inscription, with the following religious formula: "There is no G.o.d but G.o.d," or a similar one, for the characters are very illegible and confused. In the centre of this shield may be read [Ill.u.s.tration: Arabic], "made by Hair," undoubtedly one of the artists who made the box. Another artist's name may be read with difficulty in a similar inscription which appears on one of the medallions on the left side: it is written on the thigh of a stag, which is attacked by a lion [Ill.u.s.tration: Arabic], "it was made by Obeidat." Three other inscriptions of a similar character appear in other parts of this box, which probably give the names of other artists, but I have been unable to decipher them.
[Ill.u.s.tration: MOORISH CASKET. 11TH CENTURY. CATHEDRAL OF PAMPLONA.]
Among other artistic objects in the shrine of the cathedral of Braga, in Portugal, there is an ivory box of the same period, and the inscription, which runs round the cover, mentions the same persons:
"There is no G.o.d but G.o.d, and Mahomad is his prophet. In the name of G.o.d, a blessing, prosperity and fortune for the Hagib Seifo, d. daula, for this work, which he ordered to be made by the hands of"--here the inscription has been broken off--"his princ.i.p.al eunuch." (Vide 'Artes e Letras,' No. 6, 3rd series, p. 94, Lisbon, 1874.)
Both these caskets were made for Hadjeb Abd el Melik, a minister of Hischem the second.
It is necessary to add to them an ivory diptych, preserved at the Provincial Museum of Burgos, which, as we find by the following inscription, was also made for Abder Rahman III, (A.D. 912-961).
[Ill.u.s.tration: Arabic]
"This was ordered to be made by the Iman servant of G.o.d Abder Rahman, prince of believers."
Two other boxes of the same artistic character, belonging to a private collection, must also be mentioned. They are both cylindrical, and are terminated by a spherical cover. They measure 7 inches high, by 4-5/8 wide, and are covered with a profuse and splendid ornamentation of figures and animals. Round the lid of one them is a band, with the following inscription in fine Cufic character:
[Ill.u.s.tration: Arabic]
"The blessing of G.o.d and his favours, joy, and prosperity, for Almogueira, son of the Prince of the faithful, whom may G.o.d have forgiven. It was made in the year 357 [A.D. 967]."
Almogueira was the son of the Caliph of Cordova, Abder Rahman III.
On the other may be read in similar characters--
[Ill.u.s.tration: Arabic]
("In the name of G.o.d, clement and merciful, blessing")--this part of the inscription is missing--"and prosperity and happiness for Riyadh ben Aflah, captain of the superior guard. It was made in the year 359" [A.D.
969].
The style of the objects which we have hitherto described is undoubtedly Oriental, and we must seek in Persia the origin of this industry. There is, however, every probability that these seven ivory boxes were made in Spain by Spanish Arabs, or artists who had settled there from the East.
On all these carvings the names of Spanish historical persons appear, and it is hardly possible that they were ordered in remote countries, especially as some of these objects are small and comparatively unimportant. It must also be borne in mind that we find in contemporary authors many details on the luxury and magnificence of this period of the Spanish Arabs, and the great height which the arts and industries had reached at that time.
The ivory carvings which I have described present all the characteristics of the Oriental school, which was copied by European Christian sculptors during the 11th and 12th centuries. We find in Christian productions of this period, too constantly to require any further comment, the same geometrical traceries, flowers, leaves, animals, and birds. The subjects represented on monuments of Christian art have been erroneously interpreted by modern ecclesiologists who have endeavoured to demonstrate the symbolism of these figures in a purely Christian sense with only the unsatisfactory result of checking and leading astray art students of the Middle Ages. It is of the utmost importance to go to the primitive sources from which this art is derived in order to ill.u.s.trate this important theory. The Oriental school of sculpture was soon transmitted, either through the influence of the Spanish Arabs, or by other means, to Christian artists. As an interesting example of this may be mentioned the shrine which King Dn.
Sancho ordered to be made, A.D. 1033, in which to deposit the bones of San Millan, still preserved in San Millan de la Cogulla, in the province of La Rioja, Spain. This fine shrine is 4 feet 6 inches long, by 2 feet 3 inches high. It is of wood, and covered with gold plates and inlaid stones and crystals. Between this metal work are placed 22 plaques of ivory carved with subjects representing pa.s.sages from the life of the saint, and single figures of the princes, monks, and benefactors who helped to defray the expense of this work of art. Among them there are two small figures with the names of Apparitio Scholastico, Ramirus Rex. These have been generally supposed to be the artists' names. A sculptor is also represented carving a shield, and near him is one of his workmen. Underneath these figures ran formerly an inscription, of which the first part only remains, containing the name of the artist--"(Magis) tro et Rodolpho filio."
Two other interesting specimens remain of Spanish Moresque art of the 11th century. One is a casket at the South Kensington Museum, No. 10, 66, which Mr. Maskell describes as "richly carved in deep relief with foliage and animals in scrolls interlacing one another, and forming larger and smaller circles. The top and each side is a single plaque of ivory; the sloping lid at the front and back has two panels. On the two are two animals, like does; a large bird stands on the back of each, attacking it with his beak. The sloping sides have, in the large circles, men on horseback, and animals fighting. The intermediate s.p.a.ces are completely filled with foliage, and smaller beasts. Similar subjects are repeated in the circles on the panels forming the lower sides of the casket, and among them are two groups of men and women sitting; one blowing a horn, another playing on a guitar, another holding a cup in one hand and a flower in the other." There is no inscription on this casket, but in one of the medallions on the lid there is a bust which is carried on the back of a horse, and which is probably a representation of the prince for whom the casket was made.
The other example of this period is that known as the cross of Don Fernando, at the Archaeological Museum at Madrid. This cross is 20 inches by 14. On the front is a figure in high relief of Our Lord with the inscription: IHE. NAZARENVS REX IVDEORVM. In the upper part is represented the figure of Our Lord at the moment of his Resurrection, and in the lower a symbolical figure of Adam; both these figures are in high relief. Underneath may be read in two lines,--
FERDINANDVS REX.
SANCIA REGINA.
At the back of the cross appears in the centre the Lamb of G.o.d: in the four corners the emblems of the Evangelists. Besides these purely Christian symbols, the ground work is covered with foliage, circles interlacing each other, figures of animals of different kinds, and men struggling with wild beasts. The whole of the ornamentation corresponds to the style of decoration of the moresque objects which I have already described. King Ferdinand I. died A.D. 1065, his wife Sancha A.D. 1071; and doc.u.ments exist proving that in 1063 they gave this interesting work of art with other artistic objects to the Church of San Isidoro of Leon, where it remained until 1870, when it was given up by the authorities of the church to the Museum at Madrid. The following woodcut represents the back of the cross:--
[Ill.u.s.tration: BACK OF CROSS OF KING FERDINAND I. ARCHaeOLOGICAL MUSEUM.
MADRID]
These different specimens represent, in my opinion, the most satisfactory view of the art industry of ivory carving during the 10th and 11th centuries. Several other examples of oriental carving in ivory still exist in Spain in the shrines of different cathedrals; others of less artistic interest may be seen at the Archaeological Museum at Madrid. These caskets are for the most part not ornamented with carvings in relief, but are decorated with inscriptions painted in gold and colours. The most important are:--
A large casket at the Archaeological Museum of Madrid, decorated with painting in red and green, and a fine inscription in Cufic characters.
A similar casket at the same museum, decorated with a design painted in green, red, and blue; an inscription in cufic letters runs round a band in the upper part.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Arabic]
"Made by Mohammad Ben a.s.sarag."
An ivory casket at the Real Academia de la Historia at Madrid, with an ornamentation and inscription painted in the style of the former ones and the shield of arms of the Kings of Aragon. The inscription reproduces several Suras of the Koran, and the arms of the house of Aragon were probably added when the casket came into the possession of some person belonging to the family.
A casket exists at the Church of Santo Domingo de Silos (province of Burgos), which merits a special mention on account of what has remained to us of the inscription.
This casket is 13 inches long by 7 inches wide and high. It is ornamented in part with foliage and flowers in the moresque style, alternating with hunting subjects, men shooting with bows and arrows, riding upon lions, fantastic animals and leopards mounted on the back of bulls. The work is inferior in art to the caskets at Pamplona and South Kensington. On a band which runs round the four sides of the lid is an inscription in Cufic characters, of which unfortunately the two longer sides have been destroyed, and have been subst.i.tuted at a very early period by bands of cloisonne enamel, evidently belonging to other caskets. On the two sides an inscription remains, upon which may be read the year Hegira 417 (A.D. 1026); the name of the artist who carved it, Mohammad Ibn Zeiyan, and the two first letters of the town in which it was made (probably Cuenca)
[Ill.u.s.tration: Arabic]