Spain—including its arts, food and architecture—reflects the confluence of the Christian, Muslim and Jewish populations which inhabited (and sometimes controlled) the Iberian Peninsula over the centuries. This melding of differing aesthetics has created a handsome and unique hybrid style which is quite unlike that found anywhere else.
Iberian "Moorish" aesthetics have had a tremendous influence on Spain, especially in the southern "Andalusia" region of the peninsula. From 711 until 1492, Muslims ruled this territory which includes Seville, Cordoba, Malaga and Granada. And don't forget that the southernmost tip of Spain is a mere 8 miles from Morocco, Africa—just across the Strait of Gibraltar.
Some (though not all) Muslims observe a tradition which discourages the rendering of the human figure (or sometimes animals) in artworks. (Different "branches" of the faith interpret the issue differently.) This is why Islamic artworks have prioritized calligraphy and geometric design in their decorative arts—raising both to a very high level.
The Spanish box shown above, made in the Fifties or Sixties, is made of rosewood and ebonywood—punctuated with precise, thin strips of inlaid bone. The handsome geometrics of the cover reflect the Islamic provenance of the piece. While the box originally was made to hold (and present) cigarettes, it also would make a wonderful desk, dresser, or presentation box. Click on the photo above to learn more about it.
Though our Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed, LEO Design is still alive and well! Please visit our on-line store where we continue to sell Handsome Gifts (www.LEOdesignNYC.com).
To arrange a visit our Pittsburgh showroom (by private appointment only), please call 917-446-4248.