1. Theme: Islamic Art Slides #10-15

2. Terminology
on terminology handout
Arabesque – means “arab – style”, it is a complex, ornate design of intertwined floral, and repeated geometric forms. Usually found as decoration on the walls of mosques. Stucco – (plaster) used to create decorative features on buildings. Mosque – an Islamic temple or place of worship for Muslims. Cupola – a rounded convex roof on a circular base (a dome of small size).

3. Characteristics…
Non-figural decoration – three types of decoration are most often used in religious Islamic designs. They are geometric patterns, vegetation & calligraphy. Represents the infiniteness of God.
The minaret (calls worshippers to prayer)
Features borrowed from the Greeks, and Romans

9.
mocarabes

10. mocarabes

11. 10.The Alhambra. (begun c. 1238) Granada, Spain.
History:
Moors – the Islamic rulers of Spain ( ) Spain’s most significant example of Islamic architecture.
Purpose:
-fortress-palace for Moorish rulers.
-The fortress has residences, courts, offices, a bath and a mosque.
-Alhambra means the “red fortress”.
Forms of Decoration:
-the architects of the Alhambra was to cover every single space with decoration, no matter the size of the space
-Stucco and or wood carvings
-mosaic tiles
-Arabesque style
-The text reads “Only God is Victor"

14. 11. Dome of the Rock. (late 7th century) Jerusalem, Israel.
History:
-the Dome of the Rock is sacred to three major religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam, it is considered to be a “place of oneness” (see next slide)
Forms of decoration:
-tiles
-mosaics
-mathematical patterns
-no figures or images (just patterns and designs)
Architectural Features:
-dome
-columns
-arches

15. History of the Temple Mount
957 BC – David made a temple to house the ark of the covenant. This was the Temple of Solomon.
BC – destroyed by King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon.
515 BC – second temple build (Where Jesus’ teachings in the temple)
70 AD - the temple was destroyed (all that remained was the western wall)
135 AD - Emperior Hadian build a temple to Jupiter
614 AD - Dome of the Rock was built

16. Significance of the Dome of the Rock
_______________________________________________
For Jewish People:
They believe the rock is the foundation stone where God created man.
They believe it was first consecrated by the Israelites of Exodus.
They believe it was the site where Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac .
Site of the Temple of Solomon.
For Christians:
Jesus’ teachings & for the same reason listed above.
For Muslims:
It is the site where Mohammed began his ascent to Heaven.

17. The Western Wall in the midst of the Old City in Jerusalem is the section of the Western supporting wall of the Temple Mount which has remained intact since the destruction of the Second Jerusalem Temple (70 CE)
It became a center of mourning over the destruction of the Temple and Israel's exile
communion with the memory of Israel's former glory and the hope for its restoration
it became known in European languages as the "Wailing Wall".

18. Artistic Details
Mathematical Rhythm – all critical dimensions are related to the circle centre of the dome.
ie. the length of each wall is equal to the diameter of the dome.
Cupola (outside) – presently aluminum and covered with gold leaf. Originally wood and gold.
Cupola (inside) – is decorated with floral decorations.
Mosaics – realistic and stylized images of vegetation.
Tiles – decorate the inside of the drum and the outside.

20. 12. Great Mosque of Damascus. (706-715) Syria.
WHAT TO SEE…
Shrine dedicated to St. John the Baptist (where traditions says his head is buried).
Decorated with mosaics
Minarets
HISTORY
Armeanans build a temple for Hadad
Romans build a Temple for the God Jupiter.
Area became a sacred Christian site and a Church for St. John the Baptist was built
The church was demolished and made into the mosque you see today.

23. Design and Construction of the Taj Mahal
Named the Taj Mahal in honor of Mumtaz Mahal, the mausoleum was constructed of white marble inlaid with semi-precious stones (including jade, crystal, lapis lazuli, amethyst and turquoise) forming intricate designs in a technique known as pietra dura. Its central dome reached a height of 240 feet (73 meters) and was surrounded by four smaller domes; four slender towers, or minarets, stood at the corners. In accordance with Islamic tradition, verses from the Quran were inscribed in calligraphy on the arched entrances to the mausoleum, in addition to numerous other sections of the complex. Inside the mausoleum, an octagonal marble chamber adorned with carvings and semi-precious stones housed the cenotaph, or false tomb, of Mumtaz Mahal. The real sarcophagus containing her actual remains lay below, at garden level.
The rest of the Taj Mahal complex included a main gateway of red sandstone and a square garden divided into quarters by long pools of water, as well as a red sandstone mosque and an identical building called a jawab (or “mirror”) directly across from the mosque. Traditional Mughal building practice would allow no future alterations to be made to the complex. As the story goes, Shah Jahan intended to build a second grand mausoleum across the Yamuna River from the Taj Mahal, where his own remains would be buried when he died; the two structures were to have been connected by a bridge. In fact, Aurangzeb (Shah Jahan’s third son with Mumtaz Mahal) deposed his ailing father in 1658 and took power himself. Shah Jahan lived out the last years of his life under house arrest in a tower of the Red Fort at Agra, with a view of the majestic resting place he had constructed for his wife; when he died in 1666, he was buried next to her.

24. 13. Ustad Ahmad Lahauri. Taj Mahal. (1630-1653) India.
History: -
-Mughal Architecture which combined Indian, Persian and Islamic influences
Forms of decoration:
-dado tiles
-mosaics
-mathematical patterns
-no figures or images (just patterns and designs)
-decorations on the spandrels (the space between the arch and the rectangular closure)
Architectural Features:
-4 minarets over 40meters high
-onion dome
-columns
-arches
Legend:
-According to one gruesome (and most likely sensational) story, Shah Jahan had his minions cut off the hands of the Taj Mahal's architect and his workers after the structure was completed, ensuring they would never build another of its kind.

25. Developed in the region of Western Anatolia (eastern turkey)
14. Decorated Plate Fritware, polychrome painted under a transparent glaze. (1580) Iznik, Turkey.
Iznik pottery designs
Cobalt blue
Chinese influences
(fascination with Chinese pottery)
Geometric patterns
(Islamic in design)
Extra info…
Developed in the region of Western Anatolia (eastern turkey)
Other Iznik designs included blue, purple, red, green, turquoise, grey and black.

27. Islam forbids the portrayal of living creatures, so most İznik designs are floral or geometric: The tulip represents God and the rose represents the Prophet Muhammad. The name comes from a small Turkish town that was the center of a flourishing ceramics industry during the Ottoman Empire (five hundred years ago). Hundreds of İznik artisans were employed to make quartz tiles and ceramic ware for the powerful Sultan.

28. Design forms geometric patterns based on five- and ten-pointed stars.
15. Dado panel. (15th century) Marble mosaic. Egypt
Mosaic
Design forms geometric patterns based on five- and ten-pointed stars.
This style of wall decoration was used especially in the interiors of mosques.

29. Architectural features: dome, cupola, arches, column Decorative features: mosaics
Christian
Islamic Art
Architectural features:
bell towers
Decorative Features:
sculptures
Images include nature, figures and storytelling
Architectural features: minarets Decorative Features: tiles, floral designs Images are floral designs, geometric patterns, writing