Qasr al-Mshatta Facade

Qasr Mshatta is located in Amman, Jordan and the palace itself perfectly encapsulates the adaptation of old styles with the new Islamic ones. This is due to the fact that the building had a mosque on one side and the secular aspects of a palace on the other. There is no figurative imagery on the mosque side of the palace. The other side, in direct opposition, has statues and other depictions littered throughout. The facade being on the outside of the palace is part of the figurative imagery that the structure has to offer.

Artistic Influences

The facade exemplifies the Byzantine naturalistic art tradition as seen with the animals depicted: a griffin, lion, and peacock. The background consists of grape vines, a common aspect of Byzantine art. An addition that is uniquely Umayyad, however, is the fact that the vines contain pearls. If the sculptors were staying true to form with the Byzantine stylization of the vines, they would look as they do out in nature. The addition of the pearls shows an evolution of artwork that began upon the Umayyad’s introduction with the cultural art styles.

Description

The griffin and the lion are drinking from a fountain and both of them have vines wrapping around their middle, almost as if securing them to the wallside. Continuing their interactions with the vines, both creatures have their inner-front paw resting on the end of the vine that wraps around their middles. While both the Byzantines and the Sasanians had griffins in their stories and artwork, the facial features differed.¹ Byzantine griffins have beaks giving them a more bird-like appearance whereas Sasanian griffins have the facial structure of a cat-like creature. The facade has, unfortunately, faced some weathering, but the mouth of the griffin is distinctly beak-like. The feline animals are translated across from each other and drinking from a fountain. The peacock, which is in the top left corner, has most of its body to the side while its head is facing straight out towards the onlookers.

Analysis

The carving of the facade is incredibly intricate. As the art at hand was done in the Byzantine style and in previously Byzantine controlled lands, it stands to reason that the creatures were meant to represent the same messages. Peacocks, for example, are believed to represent immortality and eternal life.² With this perspective it stands to reason that a Caliph would wish for these attributes to be associated with him. Both the lion and griffin being at the entrance of the palace, in Byzantine tradition, would have been considered protectors.³ It is likely that this was the same effect that the Umayyads were going for as well. At the very least, it is a continuation of their tradition even if it was just done for aesthetic purposes.

Bibliography

• Maguire, Henry. “Profane Icons: The Significance of Animal Violence in Byzantine Art.” RES: Anthropology and Aesthetics, no. 38 (2000): 18–33.
• Maguire, Henry. “The Profane Aesthetic in Byzantine Art and Literature.” Dumbarton Oaks Papers 53 (1999): 189–205.