Collection Charles Gillet (1879 – 1972), Puis par descendance

This remarkable pyxis belongs to a very small group of precious metal vessels produced in the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada (1232-1492) that have survived to the present day. It forms part of a corpus of fewer than ten Nasrid objects datable to the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries (see below). Its chased and partially gilded decoration bears a particularly close resemblance to that of a fourteenth-century pyxis held at the Museum of Islamic Art, Doha (inv. 2015.2.1-2; Sotheby’s, London, 8 October 2014, lot 92). Both the repoussé work and the vegetal and geometric ornament belong firmly to the Andalusi tradition and reflect principles established in Almohad metalwork during the twelfth century (see a twelfth-century writing box at the Museo Arqueológico Nacional, Madrid, inv. 51051).

The small number of surviving Nasrid metal vessels from the fourteenth century—fewer than ten—comprises the following: a bucket at the Museo Arqueológico Nacional, Madrid (inv. 50888; Vidal Álvarez, Las artes del metal en al-Ándalus, Madrid, 2019, cat. 112, pp. 176–177); two inkwells, one octagonal, at the Instituto Valencia de Don Juan (inv. 3075; op. cit., cat. 127, p. 188), and the other preserved in the treasury of the church of San Marco in Rome (Curatola, Eredità dell’Islam, 1993, cat. 38, p. 121); an inkwell formerly in the Homaizi Collection in Kuwait (inv. 1/195; Sotheby’s, London, 8 October 2014, fig. 1, p. 78); two identically shaped vessels, one formerly in the Croisier Collection (Sotheby’s, London, 8 October 2008, lot 98), and the other sold at Christie’s in 2021 (London, 28 October 2021, lot 15); and, finally, two objects preserved at the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha: a fourteenth-century inkwell (unregistered) and the pyxis sold by Sotheby’s in 2014 (lot 92).

The closest parallel for the present pyxis is the latter.

The chased decoration of the two pyxides is indeed very similar, and the striking resemblance between their lids, which are almost identical, suggests that they were produced in the same workshop in Granada. Furthermore, the partially gilded decoration of the present pyxis, in which the geometric latticework contrasts with the palmettes against a gilded ground, directly recalls the interplay of silver and gold in the decoration of the Doha pyxis.

The present pyxis has a cylindrical form, recalling that of tenth-century Umayyad pyxides and eleventh-century ‘Siculo-Arabic’ ivory boxes, both popular throughout the western Mediterranean. It nevertheless differs from the eight-sided, faceted caskets, of which the Doha pyxis is an example, as well as from Nasrid pyxides of similar form made of inlaid wood.

Its surface is decorated with a geometric lattice in which interlacing bands form small eight-pointed stars, each filled with a double palmette. Around the base, the palmettes give way to floral finials. The entire design stands out against a finely hatched ground. The lid is particularly sophisticated in its ornamentation, which is organised around a twelve-pointed geometric rosette. Its radiating extensions intersect to form further stars and medallions, while the intervening spaces are filled with interlace, plaited bands and chased palmettes. The only significant difference between the present lid and that of the Doha pyxis is the absence, on the former, of a plaited border along the rim.

The metal fittings, including the hinge and clasp, are now missing. However, the surviving attachment holes on the lid and body clearly indicate their original positions and suggest a mounting arrangement comparable to that of the Doha pyxis.

This type of radiating geometric ornament was particularly popular in North Africa and Spain during the Almohad and Nasrid periods, although it remains difficult to date with precision. Such designs occur in architecture and woodwork, book arts and textiles. Examples include the decoration of Qur’ans copied in southern Spain during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries (Seville, 1226, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Munich, Cod. arab. 1; Spain, 1304, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris, Arabe 385); the decoration of a Hebrew Bible copied in Seville in 1472 (Hispanic Society of America, New York, HC:371/169); and a silk-weaving fragment preserved at the Victoria and Albert Museum, albeit of slightly later date (fifteenth century, inv. 711-1907).

From the thirteenth century onwards, similar motifs also appear in the decoration of the Alhambra, the masterpiece and quintessential expression of Nasrid art, notably in its architectural ceramics (Patronato de la Alhambra y Generalife, Arte Islámico en Granada, 1995, cats. 96 and 147, pp. 305 and 384). A fourteenth-century date for the present pyxis appears plausible, in keeping with the dates assigned to the other metal vessels mentioned above. Nevertheless, a broader dating, extending from the late thirteenth to the early fifteenth century, cannot be ruled out.

The addition of this casket to the corpus of surviving metal vessels from Islamic Spain represents a significant contribution to our understanding of Nasrid metalwork. It illustrates the use of geometric and vegetal motifs, harmonised into shared decorative schemes across a range of media. The coherence of this decorative synthesis points to a deliberate iconographic programme, proclaiming the majesty and sovereignty of the Nasrid dynasty.