Lamp holder, cast bronze with openwork, engraved, and punched decoration
Spain, Andalusia; 10th century
H: 50.5 cm
Inventory number 11/1987
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.
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.
Published in
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. 299;
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. 299;
Jerrilynn D. Dodds (ed.): Al-Andalus. The art of Islamic Spain, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York 1992, cat. 11;
Kjeld von Folsach, Torben Lundbæk and Peder Mortensen (ed.): Sultan, Shah and Great Mughal. The History and Culture of the Islamic World, National Museum, Copenhagen 1996, cat. 194;
Markus Hattstein and Peter Delius, (ed.): Islam. Art and Architecture, Berlin 2000, p. 214;
Éric Delpont (ed.): Les Andalousies de Damas à Cordoue, Institut du monde arabe, Paris 2000, cat. 93a ;
Kjeld von Folsach: Art from the World of Islam in The David Collection, Copenhagen 2001, cat. 455;
Juan Zozaya: “Aeria de transición. Objectos con base de cobre de los siglos VII al IX en al-Andalus,” Arqueología medieval, 11, 2011, pp. 11-24 ;
Mentioned in Venetia Porter and Mariam Rosser-Owen (ed.): Metalwork and Material Culture in the Islamic World. Art, Craft and Text, Essays Presented to James W. Allan, London 2012, pp. 289-291 and 293, note 11;
Joachim Meyer: “The Body Language of a Parrot. An Incense Burner from the Western Mediterranean,” Journal of the David Collection, 4, 2014, fig. 11, p. 34;
Rafael Azuar Ruiz: Metales de al-Andalus. Vol.1, Candiles, candeleros, lamparas y almenaras, Alicante 2022, fig. 2.12, p. 113 ;
And All That Is in Between. Islamic Arts Biennale 2025, Diriyah Biennale Foundation, Riyadh 2025, p. 227, kat. 180 ;
Kjeld von Folsach, Torben Lundbæk and Peder Mortensen (ed.): Sultan, Shah and Great Mughal. The History and Culture of the Islamic World, National Museum, Copenhagen 1996, cat. 194;
Markus Hattstein and Peter Delius, (ed.): Islam. Art and Architecture, Berlin 2000, p. 214;
Éric Delpont (ed.): Les Andalousies de Damas à Cordoue, Institut du monde arabe, Paris 2000, cat. 93a ;
Kjeld von Folsach: Art from the World of Islam in The David Collection, Copenhagen 2001, cat. 455;
Juan Zozaya: “Aeria de transición. Objectos con base de cobre de los siglos VII al IX en al-Andalus,” Arqueología medieval, 11, 2011, pp. 11-24 ;
Mentioned in Venetia Porter and Mariam Rosser-Owen (ed.): Metalwork and Material Culture in the Islamic World. Art, Craft and Text, Essays Presented to James W. Allan, London 2012, pp. 289-291 and 293, note 11;
Joachim Meyer: “The Body Language of a Parrot. An Incense Burner from the Western Mediterranean,” Journal of the David Collection, 4, 2014, fig. 11, p. 34;
Rafael Azuar Ruiz: Metales de al-Andalus. Vol.1, Candiles, candeleros, lamparas y almenaras, Alicante 2022, fig. 2.12, p. 113 ;
And All That Is in Between. Islamic Arts Biennale 2025, Diriyah Biennale Foundation, Riyadh 2025, p. 227, kat. 180 ;
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