1. Islamic Art

2. Founding of Islam

3. What is Islamic Art? Western art historians have used this term to describe the variety of visual culture (ie. things we can see) created in the regions of the world that have at some time come under Muslim rule. Regions include (but are not limited to): Spain, India, Persia, the Middle East, North Africa, Mongolia, Afghanistan

4. Complexity and Balance The beauty and complexity of artistic achievement is meant to reflect the beauty and wonder of the world Common myth is that no animals or humans appear in Islamic art; in fact, in some periods and areas we see both of these things

5. High Points of Islamic Art: 8 th to 10 th centuries are renowned as a golden age for Islamic culture – especially in wealthy Umayyad, Abbasid and Fatimid caliphate Another highlight was the rule of the three greatest Mughal emperors, Akbar (1556- 1605), Jahangir (1605-27) and Shah Jahan (1628-58) – in India Ottoman empire in present-day Turkey

6. Different regions and time periods Ummayad Caliphate – built Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem Islamic Empires in Spain – invaded by the Ummayads - (709 – 1614) Mamluk Sultanate – capital was Cairo - (1250–1517) Ilkhanid period- invasion of middle east by Mongols (late 13 th century) Abbasid Caliphate (Persia) – ca. 8 th century to 1200, followed by the Timurid and Safavid periods Mughal Empire (northern India, Afghanistan, Pakistan) 1482 – 1867 Ottoman Empire (Turkey 1299 – 1908) – height of Ottoman Empire was 1500-1700

7. Traditions in Islamic Art Three main branches of Islamic art: – Calligraphy and the art of the book – Vegetal Patterns (plants) – Geometric patterns – -> These branches occur in all media: books, ceramics, glass, textiles, wood, architecture, metalwork, painting, etc.

8. Calligraphy in Islamic Art Calligraphy is the most highly regarded and most fundamental element of Islamic art. The Qur’an was transmitted in Arabic – the Arabic script has the potential for developing a variety of ornamental forms The practice of copying the sacred text of the Qur’an dates from the mid-7 th century Scribes copied the words of the Qur’an in ever-increasing complexity

9. Early Islamic Calligraphy Folio from “The Blue Qur’an”, probably Tunisia, 10 th century

10. Early Calligraphy Bowl in Chinese style, Abbasid Period, 10 th century Iraq – one of the first examples using calligraphy as the main decoration

11. Kufic script Bowl, 10 th century Nishapur (Iran) or Samarkand (Uzbekistan) – use of Kufic script to enhance the shape

12. Mamluk Qur’ans The Art of producing illustrated manuscripts reached a new height in the 13 th century under the Mamluks

13. Mamluk Qur’an. Egypt, 14th century, Chapter 7, al-A‘raf (The Heights), verses 88–89

14. Sultan Baybar’s Qur’an, Cairo, 1320

15. The art of the book – manuscript painting Artists and craftsmen throughout the Islamic world produced beautiful illustrated books to show important stories and histories of various dynasties, sultanates and caliphates

16. Ilkhanid manuscripts In the late 13 th century, the Mongol kings converted to Islam and conquered much of what is now Iran and Iraq, as well as places in between. They wished to show that they were equal and culturally legitimate in the Islamic world, and did this by ordering the creation of a World History and the Book of Kings

17. Mongol Ruler, Ghazan, studying the Qur’an, an illustration from Rashid-ad-Din's Gami' at-tawarih. Tabriz, 14 th cenury

18. Ilkahnid manuscripts Nushirvan Eating food, 1330s Buzurgmihr Masters the Game of Chess- Folio from the Shahnama (Book of Kings), ca. 1300–1330

19. Persian Miniature Painting Persians continued to develop the Very sophisticated art of illustration Mostly during the Timurid and Safavid periods The most famous artist was Behzad or Bihzad, who worked in the late 15 th century in Herat (now in Northern Afghanistan) Illustrations of daily life, of rulers, of well-known stories, etc. Iskhandar Sultan consults the wise man in the cave, 1550s

20. Persian miniature painting Bath house scene, Timurid Period, by Behzad, made in Herat

21. Persian Miniature Painting Khusrah Discovers Shirin bathing in a pool, 1550s

22. Mughal miniature painting the great emperors of the Mughal empire (16th - 19th centuries) in India -- Akbar, Jahangir, and Shah Jahan – all encouraged the production of these detailed paintings More interest in realism (note especially in the plants)

23. Mughal Miniature Painting Babur Beg receives a courtier, 1589

24. Mughal miniature painting Prince Khurram (Shah Jahan) with His Son Dara Shikoh: Leaf from the Shah Jahan Album, Mughal, period of Jahangir (1605–27), ca. 1620

25. Mughal miniature painting Shah Jahan, 17 th century Taj Mahal

26. Geometry in Islamic Art See link at http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/geom/ hd_geom.htm

27. Geometry The wonder of creation is reflected in the increasing complexity of patterns Islamic civilizations between the 8 th and 15 th centuries fostered great developments in mathematics, philosophy, science After the late 8 th century, Euclid’s Elements had been translated into Arabic and had a great influence on Islamic mathematics

28. While geometric ornamentation may have reached a pinnacle in the Islamic world, the sources for both the shapes and the intricate patterns already existed in late antiquity among the Greeks, Romans, and Sasanians in Iran. Islamic artists appropriated key elements from the classical tradition, then complicated and elaborated upon them in order to invent a new form of decoration that stressed the importance of unity and order.Sasanians in Iran. Islamic artists appropriated key elements from the classical tradition, then complicated and elaborated upon them in order to invent a new form of decoration that stressed the importance of unity and order.

29. The four basic shapes, or "repeat units," from which the more complicated patterns are constructed are: circles and interlaced circles; squares or four-sided polygons; the ubiquitous star pattern, ultimately derived from squares and triangles inscribed in a circle; and multisided polygons.

30. Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem Completed in 691 CE under Umayyad rulers

31. The Dome of the Rock Tilework, Jerusalem

32. Mamluk geometry The Mamluk period lasted from 1250-1517 Greatest empire of Medieval Islam, centred in Cairo Mamluk sultans built countless mosques, palaces, madrasas, filled with complex geometric patterning known for geometric domes

33. Mamluk geometry Tile Panel, Mamluk period, ca. 1250

34. Mamluk entry hall fountain, 13 th century

35. Mamluk doors, 13 th century

36. Alhambra Palace, Spain Begun in 900, palace portion built in 1300s (14 th century)

37. Alhambra Palace, Spain

39. Tesellation of ceramic tiles

40. Ilkhanid mosque, Iran, 14 th century

41. Ilkhanid ceiling, Iran

42. Mughal period – Jali screen, 17 th century

43. Vegetal Patterns Vegetal patterns include all patterns inspired by plants and flowers Inspired by motifs from earlier civilizations (Byzantine Empire), patterns increased in complexity Ottoman and Mughal Empire saw the most sophisticated vegetal patterns

44. The Alhambra, Granada, Spain

45. Tile with Phoenix, 13 th c, Iklhanid Iran

46. Prayer Niche, Ilkhanid Iran, 13 th century

47. Shah Mosque, Isfahan, Iran, 15 th century

48. Ottoman Empire, Turkey Tughra (signature) of Suleyman the Magnificent, ca. 1540

49. Ottoman Empire Development of elaborate plant patterns, including tulips, carnations, roses

50. Fabric with wavy tulip pattern, Ottoman, 16 th century

51. Ottoman Empire – Iznik Pottery Vegetal patterns reached their height under the reign of Suleyman the Magnificent

52. Iznik pottery Dish with cypress tree, Ottoman Empire, 16 th century

53. Illuminated manuscript with a Shamsa (Rosette), Ottoman Empire, 16 th century

54. Mughal Empire, India Mughal carpet, ca. 1600

55. Folio from Mughal Pakistan, ca. 1650

56. Mughal Carpet with lily pattern, ca. 1600

57. Masjid Wazir Khan, Mughal Period, Lahore, Pakistan

58. Vegetal Patterns in Islamic Art See link at http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/vege/h d_vege.htm