Capital in the "Beveled Style"

Unknown

late 8th century · Alabaster, gypsum; carved · Islamic Art

This object exhibits the decorative language of Samarra, the second and temporary Abbasid capital. Among the various styles of surface ornament created at Samarra, the beveled style is the most well known. This style refers to a form of ornamentation based on a vegetal design that was slant cut so that the foreground and background become almost indistinguishable.

Artist

Unknown

Date

late 8th century

Medium

Alabaster, gypsum; carved

Department

Islamic Art

Credit line

Samuel D. Lee Fund, 1936