Lamp holder, cast bronze with openwork, engraved, and punched decoration
Spain, Andalusia; 10th century
H: 50.5 cm
This candlestick – or perhaps lamp holder – is of a type that was only found in Umayyad Spain. The central, temple-like architectural section, in particular, brings to mind Byzantine art, which in fact also exerted a major influence on architecture, mosaics, and other decorative art in Cordoba under the caliphs. The Arabic word
baraka (blessing) is repeated around the base.
There are a number of fragmentary lamp holders of this type, some of which feature more a detailed treatment of the architectural elements and the birds that crown them. The museum’s piece, in contrast, is the most complete.
Lent to the exhibition And all that is in between
The Islamic Arts Biennale 2025, AlMadar, Western Hajj Terminal of King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
January 25 - May 25, 2025
Inv. no. 11/1987
Published in:
Sotheby’s London, 17/10-1984, lot 165;
James W. Allan: Metalwork of the Islamic world: the Aron Collection, London 1986, p. 20;
Kjeld von Folsach: Islamic art. The David Collection, Copenhagen 1990, cat.no. 299;
Jerrilynn D. Dodds (ed.): Al-Andalus: the art of Islamic Spain, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York 1992, cat.no. 11;
Kjeld von Folsach, Torben Lundbæk and Peder Mortensen (eds.): Sultan, Shah and Great Mughal: the history and culture of the Islamic world, The National Museum, Copenhagen 1996, cat.no. 194;
Markus Hattstein and Peter Delius (eds.): Islam: art and architecture, Berlin 2000, p. 214;
Éric Delpont (ed.): Les Andalousies de Damas à Cordoue, Institut du monde arabe, Paris 2000, cat.no. 93a;
Kjeld von Folsach: Art from the World of Islam in The David Collection, Copenhagen 2001, cat.no. 455;
Juan Zozaya: ”Aeria de transición: objectos con base de cobre de los siglos VII al IX en al-Andalus” in Arqueología medieval, 11, 2011, pp. 11-24;
Venetia Porter and Mariam Rosser-Owen (eds.): Metalwork and material culture in the Islamic world: art, craft and text: essays presented to James W. Allan, London 2012, pp. 289-291, 293 note 11 (no photo);
Joachim Meyer: “The body language of a parrot: an incense burner from the Western Mediterranean” in Journal of the David Collection, 4, 2014, p. 34, fig. 11;
Rafael Azuar Ruiz: Metales de al-Andalus. 1, Candiles, candeleros, lamparas y almenaras, Alicante 2022, fig. 2.12, p. 113;
.jpg?locale=en)
.jpg?locale=en)
.jpg?locale=en)
.jpg?disposition=attachment&locale=en){kind=link}