Pyxis of Al-Mughira: On loan to Louvre Abu Dhabi, the 10th century Muslim kingdom's symbol of Andalusian art

The National

18-02-2025

The Pyxis of Al-Mughira at Louvre Abu Dhabi is currently on loan from the museum's counterpart in France, having arrived in November last year. The artefact comes as a striking example of the royal ivory-carving tradition of Al-Andalus, the Muslim kingdom that ruled areas of the Iberian Peninsula at various times between the 8th and 15th centuries. The cylindrical Andalusian box, which will remain in the Louvre Abu Dhabi until November 2026, was made in the 10th century, in the royal workshops of Madinat al-Zahra, the palace city near modern-day Cordoba. It is crafted from a single piece of elephant tusk. Scenes reflecting the might and agency of the Umayyads, the dynasty who ruled the area at the time, have been intricately engraved on the container. These include figures on thrones, lions attacking bulls, horsemen picking dates, and those removing falcon eggs from nests. The forms are minutely carved. The spaces between them are engraved to a thickness of just a few millimeters, letting light pass through and giving the humans, animals and flora on the pyxis a three-dimensional quality. The pyxis is small enough to be held with one hand. Yet, its "importance exceeds far larger than its physical size," says Fakhera Alkindi, senior curatorial assistant at Louvre Abu Dhabi. An aspect of this importance is the craftsmanship of the artefact, and the "remarkable mastery" required to produce something so intricate on a material as delicate as ivory. 'Certain areas are engraved to a thickness of only three millimeters, which allowed for an effective translucency once light is projected through the object,' Alkindi says. The iconography, she adds, has gone through several scholarly interpretations from contexts that range from political to astrological. As such, some mystery still surrounds the pyxis. However, one thing is certain and that is the artefact's original recipient. An inscription crowning the pyxis in a Kufic script wishes a happy destiny to Prince Al-Mughira, half-brother of Caliph al-Hakam II, the second Umayyad caliph of Cordoba, who ruled from the years 961 to 976. The inscription also bares the date of manufacturing. 'It was made in the year 968,' Alkindi says. 'The precious box was presented as a gift to the Prince Al-Mughira and represents an important moment within the history of the Umayyads of Spain and the larger Islamic history. "It stands as a material testimony to the cultural prosperity and technical virtuosity of this period in Al-Andalus, particularly within the commercial and cultural hub of Madinat al-Zahra, which hosted a flourishing environment of artistic and architectural production.' Several considerations were taken when thinking about how the pyxis would be presented at Louvre Abu Dhabi, Alkindi says. The artefact has been given its own space within the permanent galleries. Multimedia elements accentuate the intricacies of the its craftsmanship, zooming into its medallions and engravings. 'This masterpiece of Islamic art, carrying a lot of historical, aesthetic and technical importance, required a special display,' Alkindi says. 'The pyxis takes centre stage within a dedicated gallery. The material quality and the virtuosity of its craftsmanship is further highlighted by a near 180 degree monumental projection screen surrounding both the visitor and the artwork.' Four marble capitals produced around the same time period are also displayed around the box. The capitals, which once crowned lofty columns in Al-Andalus, feature splaying floral and geometric designs that echo the engravings on the Pyxis. They were likewise crafted in Madinat al-Zahra, Alkindi says, explaining that "they evoke the context in which the Pyxis was produced'. The scenography is further enhanced with the sound of oud. The musical element, composed by Iraqi composer Naseer Shamma, takes several cues from the culture of Al-Andalus and is inspired from the works of the ninth-century musician Ziryab. 'We wished to mediate many aspects of the pyxis,' Alkindi says. 'From the historical context, the cultural context, the technical developments that allowed for such an object to come to life, and the vibrant cultural centre of Madinat al-Zahra.' The Pyxis of Al-Mughira is on display at Louvre Abu Dhabi until November 2026.