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Pisa Griffin

Pisa Griffin is a large hollow cast bronze sculpture of a mythical hybrid creature, half horse and half griffin, now preserved in the Cathedral Museum in Pisa, Italy. It is the largest known medieval Islamic metal sculpture, measuring 107 cm high, 87 cm long, and 43 cm wide. Radiocarbon analysis dates it to between 1085 and 1110 CE, probably made in Islamic Spain, though other proposed origins include Egypt, Sicily, or the Maghreb. The surface is richly decorated with Kufic inscription, stylized feathers, scales, and animal motifs. Its exact purpose remains uncertain, with possible uses including an aquamanile, fountain, incense burner, or musical instrument.

Bronze Pisa Griffin statue on a pedestal in a museum gallery.
The Pisa Griffin stands on a light pedestal inside a museum gallery.
July 2022 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Pisa Griffin statue on a tall stone column above the roof of a cathedral, against a blue sky.
The Pisa Griffin stands on a tall column above the roofline of Pisa Cathedral.
June 2016 © · Public domain
Stereoscopic view of the Pisa Griffin silhouetted on a pedestal inside a sunlit hall with tall arched windows.
The Pisa Griffin appears in a stereoscopic view inside a grand, sunlit hall.
May 1867 © · Public domain
Grayscale 3D scan of the Pisa Griffin showing the head and upper body with an open beak, pointed ears, and textured detailing.
3D scan rendering of the Pisa Griffin’s head and upper body.
June 2011 © · CC BY-SA 3.0
Close-up of the Pisa Griffin showing a band of raised Kufic calligraphy and circular motifs on the bronze surface.
Detail of the Pisa Griffin’s bronze surface, with raised Kufic inscription and patterned circular motifs.
© · CC0

Identification

TitlePisa Griffin
TypeLarge bronze sculpture of a griffin-like mythical creature
SubjectA griffin / hippogriff
Alternative namesПизанский гиппогриф; El Grifo de Pisa; Il Grifone di Pisa; Le griffon de Pise

Historical context

CultureMedieval Islamic
DateProbably 11th century; radiocarbon analysis suggests 1085–1110 CE
Place of originDebated; most likely al-Andalus (Islamic Spain), with Sicily also considered possible; Egypt and the Maghreb have also been proposed
Possible functionsPossibly an aquamanile, fountainhead, incense burner, musical instrument, or mechanical sound-producing device

Creator

CreatorUnknown

Discovery and provenance

Removal from former locationRemoved in 1828
ReplicaA replica later replaced the original on the cathedral
Current locationMuseo dell'Opera del Duomo (Cathedral Museum), Pisa, Italy
Transfer to PisaProbably arrived in Pisa in the late 11th or early 12th century, possibly as war booty from Pisa's campaigns against Islamic states
Former locationDisplayed on the roof/pediment above the apse at the east end of Pisa Cathedral, on a platform atop a column
Acquisition hypothesesPossible acquisition events include the 1087 attack on Mahdia and the 1113–1115 campaign against the Balearic Islands
Origin noteIts Islamic origin is indicated by the Kufic inscription, but the exact date and place of creation remain debated

Physical characteristics

Dimensions107 cm high, 87 cm long, 43 cm wide
FormLarge hollow bronze animal sculpture
OpeningsThree openings: at the mouth, at the back, and under the belly
Interior featureContains a spherical bronze vessel inside, open at the bottom and soldered at the back to a thin piece of the same metal

Materials

MaterialCast bronze (copper alloy)

Technique

ConstructionWings cast separately and attached with rivets
DecorationEngraved ornamentation

Appearance

Upper leg decorationElaborate teardrop-shaped cartouches with arabesques
Hind leg decorationBirds, probably eagles, depicted on each hind leg
Front leg decorationLions depicted on each front leg
InscriptionArabic Kufic inscription around the chest and sides: “Perfect blessing, full prosperity, perfect joy, eternal peace and perfect health, as well as happiness and good fortune for the owner”
Back decorationPlain circles enclosed in two rings on a textured background
Chest decorationOverlapping semicircular scales
Wing decorationStylized feathers
BodyLion body with wings and mammal-like limbs and toes
HeadEagle head with horse-like ears and rooster wattles

Iconography and meaning

Interpretive contextA fantastic griffin form may have reduced concerns about idolatry compared with a lifelike animal figure

Location and ownership

Pisa settingPart of the Piazza dei Miracoli ensemble in Pisa, facing the Leaning Tower with the Baptistery behind it

History and restoration

Condition and interpretationSurvived; its original function and origin remain debated

Significance

SignificanceThe largest known medieval Islamic metal sculpture
DescriptionOften described as the most famous, most beautiful, and most monumental example of Islamic zoomorphic bronze sculpture
Comparative contextCompared with Andalusian palace sculptures, fountains, the Cordoba Stag, the Horses of Saint Mark, and other surviving Islamic bronze animals

Other

Research projectIncluded in an ongoing interdisciplinary project with the University of Oxford, the University of Pisa, CNR-ISTI in Pisa, Opera della Primaziale Pisana, and the Istituto Superiore per la Conservazione ed il Restauro
Project goalsPrecise digitization, a 3D model from scanning, videos, a book, and an exhibition
ExhibitionsBerlin (1989); Granada and New York (1992); Brigham Young University, Provo (2012); Madrid (2020)