Object Notes

This dagger has an Islamic curved steel blade. The ornament on the scabbard is an intricate combination of varied metal techniques, including repoussé, filigree, engraving, appliqué decorations, and mesh rings.

This 19th-century tray from Syria shows how Islamic artists used essentially abstract ornamental patterns combined with calligraphy. Stars and flowers become part of a geometric design that also incorporates the name of Allah, the one true God.

This ring and its coordinating diamond-studded gold necklace [2008.32.2] were commissioned from jewelry designer Velma Dozier by Virginia and Roland Dykes during the early 1960s.

Odilon Redon's Flowers in a Black Vase challenges in many ways the conventional still life. The vase at the right is defined by an elegant curve that establishes its profile amid the cascading yellow, blue, and white flowers which flow across the surface of the paper. The work depicts no interior; there is, for instance, no trace of a tabletop.

This snarling, ferocious guardian lion, one of a pair, originally stood watch over the entrance to a Buddhist temple in Nepal [1997.139.2].

This snarling, ferocious guardian lion, one of a pair, originally stood watch over the entrance to a Buddhist temple in Nepal [1997.139.1].

Francisco de Goya captures the drama and fury of the bullfight in La Muerte de Pépé Illo (The Death of Pépé Illo). During the 18th century, bullfighting evolved from an elitist diversion into a popular spectacle, and it figured prominently in Goya's life and work. He was an avid fan and even practiced bullfighting techniques in his youth.