This artwork shows Lubna of Cordoba walking through the palace library. Shelves rising around her, manuscripts stacked high, the accumulated knowledge of the Umayyad court in her care.
Lubna was the chief secretary and librarian of Caliph al-Hakam II in tenth-century Cordoba. She was responsible for one of the largest private libraries in the world, a collection estimated at four hundred thousand volumes, at a time when the largest libraries in Christian Europe held a few hundred. She copied manuscripts, corresponded with scholars, solved mathematical problems that baffled the court, and was described by contemporaries as unmatched in her knowledge of grammar, poetry, and calculation.
She was enslaved. She rose to a position of extraordinary intellectual authority. The palace library of Cordoba was, in significant part, her domain.
Every artwork in the Riwayah collection is available in four premium display formats, crafted to suit every home and interior style. Our canvas prints offer a rich, textured finish that brings depth and character to each piece, stretched on FSC-certified wooden bars for a refined gallery feel. For a minimalist and versatile look, our magnetic hangers use durable pine wood to hold your print securely without marking it, making it easy to change artwork whenever you like. Those seeking a classic, museum-style presentation can choose our premium wooden frames, crafted from responsibly sourced oak or ash with visible natural grain and protected with shatterproof plexiglass. And for a sleek, contemporary finish, our aluminium frames pair clean black metal with heavyweight matte paper for a polished, modern aesthetic. All prints use FSC-certified paper and high-quality inks, arrive ready to hang or assemble, and are produced on demand in the UK to reduce waste and ensure the highest standard of craftsmanship.
