Carved Ivory Pen Box

The series of carved ivory boxes from caliphal Spain constitute one of the finest and most important series of medieval luxury objects. Many bear dedications to the royal family or high-placed members of the court. This box was, however, made for an anonymous patron, probably a wealthy merchant from Cordoba. The decoration with hunting scenes is characteristic of similar courtly objects produced during that time. At each end of the top panel is a mounted falconer, facing towards the centre. To the right of the centre is a mounted hunter spearing a lion, which in turn attacks a deer; the same motif is repeated on the left except that the hunter holds a spherical object instead of a spear. The front and back panels also feature scenes of animal combat and hunting. The creation of this object is therefore not only an appropriation of ivory as ‘royal’ material, but also the imagery of the court. The box has been used over the centuries, with a black varnish applied at a later stage, which gives it the appearance of ebony, an equally valuable material.