Name of Object:Floor painting Location:Damascus, Syria Holding Museum:National Museum of Damascus About National Museum of Damascus, Damascus Date of Object:Hegira 109 / AD 727 Museum Inventory Number:QHG Material(s) / Technique(s):Plaster, painted using the secco technique. Dimensions:Length 5.21 m, width 4.43 m Period / Dynasty:Umayyad Provenance:Syrian Desert, 80 km southwest of Palmyra. Description:Islamic art began as a continuation of elements from previous periods that were common and well-known in the area. This panel offers a clear example of the influence of Roman myths. It was painted using the secco technique, where the paint is applied only after the plaster is dried and then the plaster is remoistened with a bit of water. This panel covered the floor of the reception hall in the west wing of the Qasr al-Hayr al-Gharbi, which is located in the Syrian Desert between Damascus and Palmyra. View Short DescriptionThis fresco painting comes from the Umayyad palace Qasr al-Hayr al-Gharbi in the deserts of Syria. It displays an image from classical Roman mythology, the earth goddess, Gaea, signifying bounty and fruitfulness. It also indicates artistic and cultural continuity from Late Antiquity to early Islam. Original Owner:Caliph Hisham bin 'Abd al-Malik (r. AH 105–25 / AD 724–43) How date and origin were established:The floor, along with the rest of the palace complex, was dated according to the inscription on the door lintel of the khan adjoining the palace. The lintel carries the date AH 109 (AD 727) and indicates that the complex was built by Caliph Hisham bin Abd al-Malik. How Object was obtained:The floor painting was discovered during the 1936 French excavation of Qasr al-Hayr al-Gharbi, which was led by archaeologist Daniel Schlumberger. It was the discovery of this site that led to the development of the Islamic Arts section in the Damascus National Museum. This floor painting, along with the palace's plaster façade which now adorns the museum's entry, were prepared for relocation at the National Museum during the 1940s. The Umayyad wing was formally inaugurated in 1950. How provenance was established:The floor painting was produced in situ at Qasr al-Hayr al-Gharbi. Selected bibliography:Ettinghausen, R., Arab Painting, Lausanne, 1962, p.35. Citation of this web page:Mona al-Moadin "Floor painting" in Discover Islamic Art, Museum With No Frontiers, 2024. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;ISL;sy;Mus01;1;en Prepared by: Mona Al-Moadin
|