A Mudejar carved marble capital Spain, 16th century

A Mudejar carved marble capital
Spain, 16th century
the square capital rising from a round body carved in
the form of lotus petals, the fragmented column decorated with spiral fluting, mounted on stand
32 cm. high
Provenance
Private UK collection, London.

Bearing testimony to the enduring influence of the Islamic tradition of carved masonry in Spain, this distinctive column capital displays a precision of form evolved over centuries evincing a stylisation of classical shapes, rhythmic patterning and naturalistic details.

Clearly influenced by earlier Nasrid examples – with a simplified form adorned with an elegant lotus leaf – this capital illustrates how the Muslim rulers of al-Andalus shaped an architectural vocabulary of Hispano-Roman and Visigothic architecture.