Name of Object:

Fresco panel: ‘Group of Musicians’

Location:

Amman, Jordan

Holding Museum:

In situ at Qusayr ‘Amra

 About In situ at Qusayr ‘Amra, Amman

Date of Object:

Hegira first third of the 2nd century / AD second half of the 8th century

Material(s) / Technique(s):

Fresco.

Dimensions:

n/a

Period / Dynasty:

Umayyad

Provenance:

Qusayr ‘Amra, Jordan.

Description:

Music making and dancing is a recurring theme in the frescoes at Qusayr ‘Amra. In the north-east spandrel of the central aisle, near the entrance to the audience hall, is a depiction of a female dancer and three musicians: a tambourine player, a flutist, and a third-badly damaged player, holding a cymbal. The flutist wears a tight-necked long garment with an all-over pattern of double circles, diamonds and florets. The garment is held at the waist by a girdle knotted at the side with two strands. The flutist holds the flute to his mouth with two hands.

View Short Description

This fresco is located near the entrance to the audience hall at Qusayr ‘Amra; it depicts a female dancer and three musicians: a tambourine player, a flutist, and a player holding a cymbal. Music and dancing is a recurrent theme at Qusayr ‘Amra.

Original Owner:

Possibly al-Walid II (AH 125–6 / AD 743–4)

How date and origin were established:

Qusayr 'Amra and its frescoes date to the Umayyad period, an accurate dating achieved primarily through analysis of some of the paintings in situ, the most important being the fresco panel depicting six rulers; 'The Family of Kings'. Their names, written above their heads in Arabic and Greek, identify them as: 'Caesar', the Byzantine emperor; 'Kisra', the Sasanian emperor; the king of Abbyssinia (Ethiopia); and 'Roderick', the Visigothic king of Spain. Historical inference has established the identities of the other two as the emperor of China and the ruling prince 'khaqan' of the Turks. Since Roderick ruled for only one year before he was killed in AH 92 / AD 711, this date provides a terminus post quem for construction of the monument.

How Object was obtained:

The fresco is in situ at Qusayr ‘Amra.

How provenance was established:

The panel is located near the entrance to the audience hall at Qusayr ‘Amra.

Selected bibliography:

Almagro, M., et al, Qusayr 'Amra: Residencia y baños omeyas en el desierto de Jordania, Madrid, 1975, plates VI a-b.
Fowden, G., Qusayr ‘Amra: Art and the Umayyad Elite in Late Antique Syria, Los Angeles, 2004, pp.66-67.

Citation of this web page:

Ghazi Bisheh "Fresco panel: ‘Group of Musicians’" in Discover Islamic Art, Museum With No Frontiers, 2024. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;ISL;jo;Mus01_H;46;en

Prepared by: Ghazi Bisheh
Copyedited by: Mandi Gomez


MWNF Working Number: JO 87