Download Islamic Art

Islamic Art
13.2
Islam & Muhammad
 In the 7th century AD, a religion known as Islam (which means
followers of God’s will) emerged in the Middle East.
 The Prophet of Islam was an Arab merchant named Muhammad,
who was born in Mecca around 570AD.
 Following the death of his parents, Muhammad was raised by an
uncle. As a hard working young trader, Muhammad learned the
habits and languages of the wandering Arabs.
 His fortunes improved following his marriage to a wealthy widow,
whose business he tended.
 During this time Muhammad received personal revelations that
forced him to challenge superstitions of the Arabs, who
worshipped many different idols.
The Teachings of Muhammad
 Following years of meditation, Muhammad heard a divine call to be the
last of the prophets and a teacher for all.
 He taught that there is only one god. Allah (in Arabic “The God”),
whose will should be followed in order for people to live just and
responsible lives.
 At first Muhammad taught in secret, converting his wife, cousin, and
adopted son.
 When he began to teach openly he was opposed by those who wished
to preserve established tribal and religious customs.
 He persisted and today there are more than 925 million followers, called
Muslims.
 Muslims regard Muhammad as one of the last great prophets and as
their guide, the Messenger of God.
The Koran
 After Muhammad’s death,
messages he received from God
were assembled into the Koran.
 Koran or Qur’an – the holy
scripture of Islam
 For Muslims the Koran is the
final authority in matters of
faith. It also offers rules for daily
life of Muslims.
 A page from a Koran during the
14th century shows the skill with
which Muslim artists used a
decorative script to record
Muhammad’s accounts.
Page from a 14th Century Koran
Islamic Art in the Fertile
Crescent
 During the early centuries of Islamic history, the center of the
Muslim world was an area known as the Fertile Crescent,
composed of present day Iraq, Syria, and Palestine.
 Here the constant blending of Eastern and Western cultures had
left a stunning array of magnificent ruins.
 To these ruins, Muslim builders soon added their own impressive
structures. Included among these was the mosque, or Muslim
place of worship.
The Mosque of Al-Mutawakkil
 In the 9th century the largest mosque
was built in at Samarra in Iraq.
 Measuring 384 by 512ft, it covered 10
acres and could hold 100,000
worshippers .
 Today little remains of the huge prayer
hall. Only traces of the 464 brick
columns that once supported the flat,
wooden, roof can be seen.
 However a minaret, a tower attached
to a mosque, still stands. From the top
of the tower a prayer caller once
summoned people to group worship
each Friday.
Islamic Art in Spain

By 710, the religion of Islam had spread throughout North Africa, at times by
persecution and at by times by force.

In 711, Muslims crossed the Strait of Gibraltar and entered Spain.

The Muslim army advanced swiftly through Spain, encountering little resistance.

After their advances into France were repelled, the Muslims did not attempt
additional invasions. Instead they consolidated their control of Spain and some
other parts in southern Europe.

The Muslims known as Moors in Spain, remained on the Iberian peninsula for
almost 800 years.

At the height of the Moorish power in Spain, the city of Cordoba was one of
Islam’s most impressive capitals.

People from all over Europe came for enlightenment and knowledge.

In contrast to many other cities in Europe, Cordoba was a great city of learning
and the arts. All that survives today however are the remains of a fortress, -and the
great mosque known as the Mezquita.
The Mezquita
 The ancient brown walls of the
Mezquita, marked by sealed,
arched entries, offer little hint of
pleasures that await inside.
 Within these walls, however, lies a
courtyard known as the Patio of
the Orange Trees.
 Originally no walls separated this
courtyard and the interior of the
mosque.
 The courtyard and the mosque
were linked by the lines of orange
trees outside and the rows of
columns inside.
Muslim Worship
 Muslims worship five times a day: at sunrise, noon, afternoon,
sunset, and evening.
 Private prayers can be offered anywhere, but group prayer takes
place in the mosque at noon on Fridays.
 In Moorish times, preparing for a group worship involved
ceremonial bathing.
 The fountains in the Patio of the Orange Trees were used for this
bathing.
 In contrast to the courtyard, the mosque interior is dark.
Mosque Interiors

The interior of Islamic mosques are
unlike interiors of Christian churches.

Christian artists created religious
images as a ways of teaching the
religion to people who could not read.

Islamic artists avoided portraying living
creatures in mosques and other
religious buildings, because they did not
want it to diminish the greatness of
God’s creative power by portraying
such forms.

Instead these artists decorated mosques
and other religious structures with
ornate calligraphy, geometric patterns,
and stylized plants and flowers.
Architectural Features
Madinat az-Zahra
 Not far from Cordoba, a Moorish
ruler erected a palace.
 When it was completed, it was
like no other place in the world –
an entire self-contained city
extended upward in three levels: a
mosque below, gardens in the
center, and an alcazar, or fortified
palace at the top.
 Covered an entire hillside and had
more than 400 rooms, hundreds
of fountains, and 4000 columns
that supported a massive roof.
The Alhambra
The Court of the Lions
The End of Moorish Rule in Spain
Islamic Book Illustrations
The Meeting of the Theologians
Use of Color and Pattern
Vocab and Quiz Review