Pyxis

Unknown

ca. 950–75 · Elephant ivory · The Cloisters

This exquisitely carved cylindrical box is believed to be one of the most accomplished works of a master from the palace of the Umayyad caliph ‘Abd al-Rahman III (r. 912–61), who ruled most of the Iberian peninsula. To judge from other examples, the missing domed lid of this box likely had an inscription giving the owner’s name and the date. Islamic pyxides, known as ushnan in Arabic, were exclusively secular and were used to store jewelry and cosmetics. The incorporation of birds, lions, and gazelles amid richly carved vine scrolls is typical of dense symmetrical Islamic design, which, in turn, influenced the decoration of European Romanesque ivories and manuscripts.

Artist

Unknown

Date

ca. 950–75

Medium

Elephant ivory

Culture

Spanish

Department

The Cloisters

Credit line

The Cloisters Collection, 1970