A Princely Pyxis

A pyxis is a small container, and this one, about six inches high and carved out of ivory, was made for the younger son of Abd al-Rahman III, the caliph of Córdoba. The prince is depicted in a decorative lozenge, sitting on a rug and holding a bottle and a flower. One servant sits beside him to cool him with a fan; another stands and plays the lute. Underneath the rug are lions, symbols of power. Outside the princely enclosure, falconers stand by, ready to accompany the prince to the hunt. The whole scene suggests order, skill, and elegance, all important features of the Islamic renaissance. (Louvre, Paris, France / Peter Willi / Bridgeman Images.)