Islamic Art - 6th Century-Present

Prophet = Muhammad

main prophet that they believe in

Allah = Islamic God

monotheistic religion, belief in one god

Great Mosque at Cordoba

- in Spain - quite a simple, rectangular shape - decoration on the outside is very elaborate and detailed, tons of patterning, plant like motifs (still anionic) - interior is very recognizable because it has these stacked arcades that have these red and white stripes and green marble columns - very striking interior - the qibla and mihrab here also have the red and white striping and also very decorative details there - usually over the qibla and mihrab is a dome called the Muqarna (symbolic of the dome of heaven, tends to be very elaborate)

Mosque

- a square room - based on the prophet Muhammad's house, a very simple dwelling - detailed parts of a mosque include the qibla (part that looks like a pointer, pointing toward the holy city of Mecca) and mihrab (the decorative area that surrounds and highlights the qibla) (main focus of every mosque, what people pray towards (the object in which they prayer towards)) (often decorated with calligraphy and other abstract patterns) - every mosque will have a least on minaret (the towers) — every day, 5 times a day, a man designated as the Muezzin will climb the minaret and literally call for prayer (there are specific words that he says) — had to be very tall so that his voice could carry — height helped to establish a visual image of power - light is very important in the interior — takes on a very physical presence, beams of light look as though you could grab onto them — beams created these beautiful patterns — symbolic of the light of god

Great Mosque of Samarra

- in Iraq, now badly damaged - very simple plan, just a rectangle, allows for a lot of people on the interior - the minaret is very complex — quite wide, has a spiral shape

Islam = Religion

- is an aniconic religion — they don't use images of god (of Allah or Muhammad), there is no recognizable imagery — instead it is decorated with decorative motifs (plant live, kind of vague plant life and calligraphy) — there is a prohibition against real images because they believed that that was taking over the role of gods house created all of these creatures — no recognizable imagery in mosques, only possibly in homes

5 Pillars of Islma

1. There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet (monotheistic religion) 2. Canonical prayer (pray 5 times a day) (many will have portable prayer rugs that point towards the direction of the mosque of Mecca, the holy city) 3. Charity 4. Observe Ramadan (holy month of fasting and prayer) 5. Pilgrimage to Mecca (located in Saudi Arabia)