Description

The brilliantly painted ivory boxes from twelfth-century Norman Sicily have long been regarded as some of the most extraordinary artifacts recovered there. Evidence of the rich and multilayered culture, these small but distinctly exotic boxes also demonstrate the Normans' fascination with Islamic culture and art. Yet despite their undeniable historical importance, the last comprehensive examination of the Sicilian ivories was published in 1939. Siculo-Arabic Ivories and Islamic Painting: 1100-1300 is the first book-length treatment devoted exclusively to the ornate ivory boxes in more than seventy years. Among the many contributors to this volume are Marianne Barrucand, Anthony Cutler, Thomas Dittelbach, Maria Vittoria Fontana, Eva Hoffman, Mat Immerzeel, David Knipp, Martina Müller-Wiener, and Mourad Rammah.