Estimated Price:

£50,000 - £70,000

Realized Price:

£0

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measurements note
outer frame 213.5 by 87.3 and 217.4 by 86.5cm.central field for each door 191 by 70cm.

of rectangular form, each with a central field of three stellar medallions, each medallion centred on a twelve pointed star, enclosing smaller shaped panels finely carved in varying degrees of high relief with palmette and split-palmette interlace arabesque, the design radiating outwards with further polygonal panels with variations on the same arabesque design, the corners with irregular stellar panels carved with strapwork, the structural ribs carved with triple grooving, one door with shaped iron mounts with raised bosses and palmette terminals, the back with two finely forged iron loops from the original lock, the other with replacement wood in border resulting from insect activity, both in later gilt wood frames

Quantity: 2

NOTE

The use of incised bands enclosing carved polygonal insets is typical of the Nasrid style and is characteristic of doors still in situ in the Alhambra Palace: the doors, for example, that lead out from the Casa Real Vieja to the Patio de los Leones, see Ars Hispaniae, IV, Madrid, 1949, fig.203, p.194. These doors have the same distinctive bronze fittings with raised, ribbed bosses and palmette-form terminals, even the same locking mechanism.

In terms of method of construction and style of carving, parallels can also be drawn with the wooden cupola ceiling that once vaulted the Torre de las Damas in the Palacio del Partal, Granada, now in the Müseum für Islamische Kunst in Berlin (see Dodds 1992, no.116, pp.368-9).

Examining the detail, the full-faced palmettes with interlaced tendrils that feature prominently on the carved insets are akin to designs in Qur'anic illumination (see Dodds 1992, no.85, p.316), as well as on the few examples of engraved metalwork that survive from the Nasrid period (see Dodds 1992, no.59, pp.280-281).

A pair of doors that sold at Christie's, 10 October 2000, lot 310, were based on the same design concept of three stellar medallions radiating outwards.

Please note that this lot is sold subject to the results of a Carbon-14 test. For more details, please refer to department.