Islamic art/Asia
Understand the importance of the written text both as a means of visual aesthetic/ornament as well as tranfering information
"Purity of writing is purity of the soul." Their written form is considered the purest expression of God's intent. Due to its association with the written word of God, calligraphy is considered by Muslims to be the highest art form. ...
mihrab
(Islam) a niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the direction of Mecca
minaret
A distinctive feature of mosque architecture, a tower from which the faithful are called to worship.
Characteristics of Islamic Art
A tendency toward elaborate surface ornament: geometric pattern, scrolling vines (arabesques), calligraphy Eclectic: Incorporate various ideas and motifs from the diverse people within Islam
Qur'an page, 9th century
Black ink and gold on parchment Part of a Holy Book relaying the word of Allah as manuscripts of the Qur'an are known, is written in brown ink. Arabic, the language of the divine word of Islam, is read from right to left. Several consonants share the same basic letterform, and these are usually distinguished from each other by lines or dots placed above or below the letter. Short vowels such as a, u, and i, are not normally written in Arabic, but in order to avoid misreadings of such an important text it quickly became standard to include vowels in the Qur'an. In this manuscript, these short vowels are marked with red circles positioned above, next to, or below the consonants, depending on the vowel. Because figural imagery such as human or animal forms was considered inappropriate for the ornamentation of sacred monuments and objects, artists relied on vegetal and geometric motifs when they decorated mosques and sacred manuscripts. context: Done in Kufic Script, The Morgan Library and Museum, New York. Qu'rans were compiled and codified in teh mid-seventh century, however the earliest survivign Qu'ran is from the ninth century,
Mamluk glass oil lamp, c. 1315- 1355
Blown glass, polychrome enamel, and gold. register of calligraphy that was illuminated when lit. because of the construction of multiple mosques, glassblowing was huge in Cairo brass was inlaid into glass rather than silver when there was a silver shortage medallion identify the person who paid for the lamp glass as an ethereal material - lit from within by oil and wick, glowed with special brilliance inside expansive architectural interiors. hanging from ceiling to read at the bottom the manuscript will glow instead of being blue context: manuscript is from surah 24:35
Angkor Wat, Camboida, 1116-1150 CE
Cambodia Home for Hindu God, Vishnu-Dedicated to Vishnu (home for god, not worship) and served as the king's mausoleum in death - built to legitimize office and claim the protection/power of the gods; Shows power and authority Expansive enclosure wall and large moat (so clear you can see full reflection - good luck); 3 galleries w/ a central sanctuary, marked by 5 corralled beehive towers (mimics Mt. Meru - mythical home of the gods); wide corridors w/ sculpted friezes Carved bas reliefs representing 8 Hindu stories - Churning of the Ocean Milk: the beginning of time/creation of the universe; Elixir of life needs to be released from the earth and gods/demons need to work together - battle once attained - Naga/serpent king as divine rope - Vishnu in middle - once released Indra descended from heaven to catch it and save the world from the destruction of the demons context: prove that the gods did not support his predecessors or his enemies by building the grandest temple/palace for the gods and making visible his ability to harness the energy and resources to construct the temple
Terrecotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi, Qin dynasty China, c. 210 BCE
China Army of 6000 terra-cotta warriors, horses, chariots, and weaponry. City w/ life size army, gardens and stables, vessels, jewelry, and gold and silver ornaments; Gemstones represent stars, sun, and moon - cosmos guide into an immortal existence; Mercury - emperor thought it had life-giving power and could assist him in his journey to immortality. The soldiers are arranged in battle formation, with a vanguard of archers surrounding the bulk of the army. The hands of the archers are now empty, but they originally held wooden bows, of which some traces survive. These wooden bows, along with bronze weapons held by other soldiers, would have given the soldiers a more naturalistic appearance. Qin Shihuang, (1st Emperor) wanted to conquer death - built underground tomb guarded by a terra-cotta army. conquers death Qin Shihuang came into power in 259 BCE - known for innovations and military genius. Tomb built b/c of obsession w/ impartiality/drive to conquer death context: The burial of Qin Shi Huangdi reflects the worldly power of the emperor. In ancient China, very elaborate burials were standard features of imperial court practice, and were copied by lesser members of the aristocracy, as well. In the earlier Shang Dynasty (c. sixteenth-eleventh century B.C.E.), rulers were buried with lavish possessions (as well as with their servants — human sacrifices were also common in the Shang Dynasty, and continued through successive periods). By the time that Qin Shi Huangdi commissioned his elaborate tomb, these practices were already ancient, and set the precedent for his ritual specialists to follow.
Liang Kai, Poet Strolling on a Marshy Bank, Song dynasty China 13 century
China mounted on album leaf, distanc peak, light and airy composition. diagonal of unpainted part is a massive boulder- to show emotional pain the genre of small, intimate, personal landscapes from early song dynasty format was printed text on woodblock this was for convenience & alternative to scrolls artist can paint a smaller single unified scene instead of a large extensive scene like in hanging scrolls extremely popular during southern song dynasty depicts scene of poet scrolling along marshy bank in a moment of self reflection context:
Know the various Mosque-types
I.The hypostyle mosque II. The four-iwan mosque III. The centrally-planned mosque
Minbar, 1125-1130
In the Kutubiya Mosque, the principal mosque of Marrakesh, Morocco, survives an exceptionally exquisite twelfth-century wooden minbar made originally for the Booksellers' Mosque in Marrakesh It consists of a staircase from which the weekly sermon was delivered to the congregation, and it completely covered the intricate ornament The sides are paneled in wooden marquetry with strapwork in a geometric pattern of eight pointed stars and elongated hexagons inlaid with ivory Wood carved in swirling vines fills the areas between the strapwork Reflecting the arcades of its original architectural context, the risers of the stairs represent horseshoe arches resting on columns with ivory capitals or Ivory capitals and bases that set those horseshoe arches apart so the see there's a scene that carries through the Moss and then the furniture that is found within that mosque as well as horseshoe arches were characteristic of Islamic style within the region we see this love of geometric patterns the repeating a square and 8 pointed star on to emulate the perfect proportions in Geometry with which God designs the world and then the floral patterns in that macca tree work as it emulates the abundance that is found in Paradise
Explain how the different types reflect the eclectic characteristics of Islamic art
Islamic art employed Aniconism, the avoidance of figural imagery. It used complex, geometric designs. It was common to see scrolling vines, which are also known as arabesques. Islamic art was always covered in surface decoration, including the use of line, color, and pattern.
Jizo Bosatsu, Kamakura period Japan, late 12th century CE
Japan bronze wooden figure- attends on a buddha, Jizo attends Amitabha is still in this world to help us into a high realm state of mediation although he's early he's access to the divine bald head, extended earlobes (wearing heavy earing and traded earings for garments of monks), wearing three garments stands on a pedestal that is a lotus flower (through humble bearing one can blossom just like the flower) mendicant step means depending and helping other, urna suggest wisdom and he sees beyond the realm holds a wish granted jewel schools of worship rose from this figure, as a reli hand position is mudra was a girl and went to hell to -she went into Hell to rescue her mother.-Other stories say that she made great efforts- of obeisance to the deities to rescue her mother-And in the process, the girl begins to see that other people are in terrible torment in Hell as well. this was one of the motivations for Jizo remaining a Bodhisattva, turning first her and then his attention to those suffering in the underworld. And in Buddhist theology, deities such as this are always male. Jizo doesn't just become male but becomes a little boy.
Ryoanji (Peaceful Dragon Temple), Muromachi period Japan, 15th century CE
Japan take off your shoes in a spiritual space meditation place moss islands with rock- rock garden- encourages mediation the garden brings out gardening and so does mediation it bring out Enligment- open for interpretation This type of garden consists of rocks and pebbles rather than vegetation and water, and was mainly created on the grounds of temples for encouraging contemplation. White gravel often symbolizes flowing elements such as waterfalls, rivers, creeks, or sea, while rocks suggest islands, shores, or bridges. some say it represents islands floating on an ocean, or a mother tiger carrying cubs over the sea, while others say it symbolizes the Japanese aesthetic concept of wabi (refined austerity) and sabi (subdued taste), or the fundamental ideal of Zen philosophy. A more recent theory argues that it is an expression of a pure form of abstract composition meant to incite meditation. context:Ryōanji thrived as a great Zen center for the cultural activities of the elite from the late sixteenth through the first half of the seventeenth century under the patronage of the Hosokawa family. The temple and its gardens are listed as one of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto. In the late 1990, the garden attracted over a million visitors annually and is regarded as an expression of Zen art and a symbol of Zen Buddhism and Japanese culture.
Muhammad Ibn al-Zain, Baptistery of St. Louis, c. 1300
Muhammad ibn al-Zain Brass inlaid with gold and silver Originally used for washing hands at official ceremonies, later used for french royal family baptisms Inlaid, gold, silver, Kufic script abstract pattern of sea animals on botton, interconnected design-continuous band of narrative around the basin-man/mongol worries on horseback, animals, coat of arms-bodies of warriros show violence, Mongols with swords shown-exterior has figures circling and hunting-circle border has ppl in a procession with royal figures interweaving imagery and design work that he's created he signs the spacing 6 times in different places across the ball there is imagery all around the outside of the Basin / by register lines to bring order to the design but the interior of the bowl as well as the bottom of the bowl are also inlaid with with animals and soldiers and other Warrior figures as well this particular Basin we think might have been used for washing hands and official ceremonies and eventually the spacing actually becomes a part of the French collection and get the nickname the baptistery of Saint context: becomes a part of the French collection and get the nickname the baptistery of Saint Louis because during the Crusades French soldiers seized some of the design patterns, recognized it as the heraldic symbol for the French royal family and take it back to their King Louie's at night and from that point on this becomes bowl with which the baptismal Rites of newborns within the French monarch Monarch become baptized into the Christian faith
Qur'an
The central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation from God. The sacred writings of Islam revealed by God to the prophet Muhammad during his life at Mecca and Medina
Tile Mosaic Mihrab, Islamic Art, 1354
The most important element in any mosque is the mihrab, the niche that indicates the direction of Mecca. from the city of Isfahan there was a part of a madrasa and a madrasah is a school or people would go to study Islam into study on the cross Because it functions as the focal point in prayer rituals, its decoration was executed with great skill and devotion. green,blue and white tiles adorn the mihrab blue tile Blues in aqua Cobalt and white with red detailing are all in this tile work fit-flex the influences of Chinese porcelain as well as Persian and Turkish and Mediterranean The cursive inscription of the outer frame is rendered in elegant white lettering on a blue ground, while the Kuffic inscription bordering the pointed arch reverses these colors for a striking contras five pillars of Islam outline the keel arc-as well as encourages those who are studying context: Made during a period of uncertainty as Iran shifted from Mongol to Timurid rule, this mihrab, originally from a madrasa in Isfahan, is one of the finest examples of architectural ceramic decoration from this era
Qibla Wall, of the Sultan Hasan Madrasa-Mausoleum-Mosque, Cairo, 1356-63
The sumptuous qibla iwan served as the prayer hall for the complex Its walls are ornamented with typically Mamluk panels of sharply contrasting marbles that culminate in a doubly recessed mihrab framed by slightly pointed arches on columns The marble blocks of the arches are joined in the interlocking pieces The paneling is surmounted by a wide brand of Kufic script inset against a background of scrolling vines, both the text and the abundant foliage referring to the paradise that is promised next to the faithful that comes to pray Next to the mihrab, an elaborate minbar stands behind a platform for reading the Qur'an One of the five pillars of Islam directs Muslims to pray in the direction of Mecca five times a day, so it is essential they know which way to face, wherever they are. context:Just beyond the qibla iwan is the patron's monumental domed tomb, ostentatiously asserting his identity with the architectural complex
qibla
This wall in a mosque always faces Mecca.
kufic
a highly ornamental Islamic script
muqarnas
a honeycomb-like decoration often applied in Islamic buildings to domes, niches, capitals, or vaults. The surface resembles intricate stalactites
horseshoe arch
a round arch that widens before rounding off
calligraphy
art of beautiful handwriting
Dome of the Rock, 691
built by Abd al-Malik Domed wooden octagon Shrine built over the rock to commemorate and honor the holy events, such as the ascension of Mohammed, that occurred here The mosaics in the Dome of the Rock contain no human figures or animals. While Islam does not prohibit the use of figurative art per se, it seems that in religious buildings, this proscription was upheld. Instead, we see vegetative scrolls and motifs, as well as vessels and winged crowns, which were worn by Sasanian kings. Thus, the iconography of the Dome of the Rock also includes the other major pre-Islamic civilization of the region, the Sasanian Empire, which the Arab armies had defeated. -central plan-4 doorways facing 4 directions-martryium-octagonal-dome is supported by squinches-heavily influenced by the Byzantine design of a martyrium- design reminds the viewer that the structure should be thought of as a shrine, not a mosqu context: During the Crusades, the Dome of the Rock was commandeered as a Christian shrine before returning to Islamic hands. Many medieval people believed it to be the famous Temple of King Solomon.Today, it is at the very core of a bitter dispute between Palestinians and Israelis. Although sometimes referred to as the Mosque of Omar, the Dome of the Rock is in fact not a mosque. Floor mosaic in the audience
The Great Mosque at Córdoba: Prayer hall, begun 785
hypostyle mosque with a nearly square plan columns are repurposed from roman temple and Christian church horse shoe arc everyone is at equal footing when praying to Allah, there is no elevated floor built on top of a Christian church built by the Visigoths, which they had previously been renting space in. It's also a political move -expanded three times and has a courtyard with fruit trees. Today, it has oranges -incorporates spolia and columns from the Christian church that previously stood on the spot -distinctively shaped horseshoe arches—a form known from Roman times and favored by the Visigoths—came to be closely associated with Islamic architecture in the West context: Historians believe that there had first been a temple to the Roman god, Janus, on this site. The temple was converted into a church by invading Visigoths who seized Córdoba in 572. Next, the church was converted into a mosque and then completely rebuilt by the descendants of the exiled Umayyads—the first Islamic dynasty who had originally ruled from their capital Damascus (in present-day Syria) from 661 until 750.
minbar
in a mosque, the pulpit on which the imam stands
Qur'an Frontispiece, c. 1368
ink, pigments, and gold on paper. The embedding of text within the geometric and arabesque of this pictured carpet, connecting the picture to the decoration in the mosque. Book arts, a combination of calligrapher and illustrator. Paper. Mamluk, Egypt. Geometric and symmetrical organization.-the geometry seen in this piece translates the mathematical skills of the early people. context: The page's resemblance to court carpets was not coincidental- Designers often worked in more than one medium, leaving the execution of their efforts to specialized artisans
Understand how religious practice shape architecture
religious influence in Islamic art is the doctrine of Divine Unity, or tawhid, which states that God is unique and is the one and only diving being and creator of the universe. The concept of God goes beyond the idea of the infinity and beyond any human capacity to describe it. The geometric patterns and arabesques are believed to represent that sense of infinity because they don't have a clear beginning nor an end; they are elements combined as a unit without end. or Probably the most commonly known Islamic principle influencing art is aniconism, which is the discouragement of the representation of figures of beings. The Quran says that the work of God is unique and unrepeatable. Therefore, representations of animal and human figures are very rare because they are considered to be an attempt at imitating the work of God and competing with His genius. Representing God is unthinkable in Islam, and it is considered an offensive act of blasphemy. Even plants are represented in very stylized forms so that they are not seen as imitations of God's creations.
