Where was this produced?
This pyxis was produced in Mosul, Iraq. We can tell that it was produced from a Middle Eastern state because of the inclusion of people from the surrounding areas within these scenes. Perhaps the most important scene on this pyxis is the scene depicting Saint Andrew. Saint Andrew was the patron saint of the See of Constantinople, as well as a Crusader fraternity. His hair, parted down the middle with a single dot at the top of his head, is a common characteristic of Christian warriors and crusaders. St. Andrew is one of the centermost figures represented on the pyxis, as well as one of the largest. He is surrounded by two figures, most likely angels, and is the only figure on the pyxis that is facing the front instead of he side. This is a huge deal! Saint Andrew is the most notable figure on this pyxis because of the details surrounding him. The artist clearly wanted people to identify who he was and his importance. It is very interesting to see a Muslim artist depicting the patron saint of Christian crusaders as the center of this piece. Besides this, there are no distinct Islamic features on this Christian figure unlike figures in other scenes, such as Jesus and Mary. This is a very Christian depiction of a Christian saint on an Islamic artwork, which prompts the question: why? Did the artist choose to depict this differently than the other scenes because of a personal preference? Was it specifically made for someone? I believe the piece was either a commissioned work or it was sold at a marketplace-like area where many Christian soldiers would be passing through and buying goods.
