Two Royal Figures

 In Islamic art most were taught that it is typically taboo for there to be any representation of any living beings portrayed in it. Yes, this typically is the rule but very early on, in the Islamic religion,  this rule was only meant for religious structures. In the non-religious world there were figures on things like vases, metalwork and manuscripts. These two stucco statues (https://smarthistory.org/two-royal-figures-saljuq-period/) are part of that world. These two figures can currently be found at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in their Islamic collection. They were created mid-11th or 12th century and extremely well-preserved for being over a thousand years old, full of absolutely brilliantly vibrant colors for being so old.  The reason they are so well- preserved is because they were found in the desert and it is so dry there. They were not found together, one was found in the 1950's and the other was found  in the 1960’s. Although their context is completely unknown they are thought to be once part of some reception hall, possibly attached to the walls greeting people as they entered. One thing that is known is that both figures are clearly representations of power. It is not only because they are holding swords but they are so impressively dressed. These stucco statues are painted with vibrant reds, blues, blacks, as well as, being gilded in gold. One figure is holding a royal napkin ,well, the other has a winged crown which is one of the oldest symbols of authority. They are both covered in jewels and it is assumed they might be kings, princes, or shah. But what is known for sure is that they come from wealth and they are related in some way.

                    

                                                                             Two Royal Figures

Two Royal Figures, Iran (Saljuq period), mid 11th – mid 12th c., painted and gilded stucco (Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York)


                 
                                        
 

                 

Comments

  1. Amanda GarrettSeptember 27, 2020 at 9:30 PM

    Hello! I think it is interesting that these two pieces are very similar but they were discovered in two different places. You stated that the meaning of this artwork is mostly unknown besides the fact that it obviously represents power. Given that, why do you think this piece was made? Lastly, I think that you described these pieces in great detail.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Throne of Wisdom

Image
One of the most popular images in Chistianity is the image of the Virgin Mary holding baby Jesus. Over the past thousand years the Virgin Mary or The Queen of Heaven has gone for a serious, almost stern faced woman with her son sitting on her lap to a young a beautiful queen holding her son on her hip. The image of The Queen of Heaven holding her son on her lap is also known as The Throne of Wisdom( https://smarthistory.org/throne-of-wisdom-sculptures/ ) during the Romanesque art period. The myth behind the Throne of Wisdom is that in the old testament the Book of Kings, King Solomon who embodied wisdom, and justice had a throne of ivory covered in gold. Like his predecessors, the son of God representing wisdom needed a throne befitting a king. Thus, Mary enthroned herself, baby Jesus appears to be more of a miniature man rather than a baby. He also holds an open bible in his hand which symbolizes divine wisdom. During the middle ages, people believed that these statues were not not s...
Read more

The Ardabil Carpet

Image
Carpets are used to decorate the floors and walls mosques and shines, they are an important part to Islamic art. They can give us an insight to their values, though their unique characters and designs.   The Ardabil Carpet https://smarthistory.org/the-ardabil-carpet/ is one of the oldest Islamic carpets in the world. The carpet gets its name from Ardabil, a town that is north-west of Iran. Ardabil was the home of a shrine dedicated to  Safi al-Din Ardabili , the carpet was made for his shrine. Safi al-Din Ardabili, is a  Sufi saint who trained his followers in I slamic mystic practices. This is when Muslims through direct contact with God can find spiritual love, and knowledge. One of Safi al-Din Ardabili descendants united Iran, the lineage that he created is known as Safavids, and lasted for over 200 years. This was one of the most important times for Islamic art. This carpet is a huge part of that art, it's  amazing, full of brilliant and vibrant colors as well...
Read more

Jowo Rinpoche, Jokhang Temple, Tibet

Image
  There are many versions of the Buddha Shakyamuni ( https://smarthistory.org/jowo-rinpoche-jokhang-temple-tibet/ )image around the world that can be made out of precious metals, carved out of wood or painted.  For instance, the Emerald Buddha in Thailand is made out of jade, the Seiryoji Buddha in Japan is carved out of wood and the Jowo Rinpoche in Tibet is made out of gilded metal. The Jowo Rinpoche is considered to be one of the most holy statues in Tibet, it  means “precious one” in Tibetan. This extravagant sculpture has Buddha sitting in the lotus position and covered with semiprecious stones, pearls, and paint. One unique feature is his electric blue hair.  In its 1300 year history, it has been restored and reconstructed, so it is unknown what the original image might have looked like when it was made around the 7th century. The earliest written description of this statute around the 11th century has the wrathful deity is seen protruding from the Buddha’s nec...
Read more