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Islamic Art
“Submission to God”
Muhammad, the prophet
In 610, Muhammad received revelations from the “one god,”
Allah, and founded a new monotheistic religion.
At first, Muhammad was forced to flee with his followers into
the desert to Medina. But in 630, he returned to Mecca with
10,000 soldiers and took the city. He converted the city to
Islam and destroyed all pagan idols but the kaaba, a small
cubical building that housed idols and that Muhammad
associated with Abraham.
Islam means “submission to God,” and believers are called
Muslims. Followers must live by the revelations given to
Muhammad and recorded in the Koran. There are 5 pillars
of Islam.
The spread of Islam
The spread of Islam is remarkable.
640: Rule Syria, Palestine, and Iraq
651: Spread to Iran
710: All of North Africa
732: Most of Spain. Stopped by Charles
Martel at Pyrenees
Two Major structures:
Mosque and Palace
Mosque: A mosque is a center of worship.
There is not a mosque without a minaret. On the
minaret, the mihrab points the direction to Mecca
for when they pray.
Palaces: Enough said.
Dome of the Rock
The first major Islamic work
of architecture, built in 638.
On the same site in
Jerusalem as Solomon’s
Temple (last destroyed by
Titus).
Also reputed to be the site
that Adam is buried, where
Abraham sacrificed Isaac,
and where Muhammad was
taken into heaven, and then,
miraculously, in the same
night back to Mecca.
Probably world’s most
sacred real estate.
Jerusalem is highly significant to three
major world religions: Judaism,
Christianity, and Islam
Interior
Built in shape of
an octagon,
much like San
Vitale.
Interior has
highly
decorative
mosaic. Meant
to remind those
inside of
heaven.
Great Mosque of Cordoba,
Spain
Cordoba
Hypostyle Hall had 36
piers and 514 columns
topped by double-tiered
arches.
Amazingly decorative.
In Islam, depiction of
God is forbidden, so art
is created with pattern,
geometric and organic,
and also with script.
Dome of
Cordoba
Alhambra, Granada, Spain
Made of rose
colored
stone.
“Alhambra”
means red.
This dome
has 5,000
muqarnasstalactite-like
forms.
Court of the Lions
Mosque of Selim II
“Take that, Christian
Byzantines!”
Designed by Sinan, the
greatest Ottoman
architect.
Built to surpass Hagia
Sophia, whose
Christians said no
Muslim could best.
Dome does, in fact,
surpass Hagia Sophia.
Dome is six cubits higher
and
four= 45.72
cubits
wider.
1 cubit
centimeters
Islamic tilework
Taj Mahal
Mausoleum in
Agra, India, built
by Emperor Shah
Jahan for his
wife.
Combines
Mughal (Indian)
and Islamic
archtecture.
Dome and
minarets.
love story
Shah Jahan’s wife,
Mumtaz Mahal, was his
third and she died in
childbirth with his 14th
child.
He built this mausoleum
for her. Of the Taj, he
wrote:
Should guilty seek asylum here,
Like one pardoned, he becomes free from sin.
Should a sinner make his way to this mansion,
All his past sins are to be washed away.
The sight of this mansion creates sorrowing sighs;
And the sun and the moon shed tears from their eyes
In this world this edifice has been made;
To display thereby the creator's glory.
Illuminations
“Seduction of Yusuf,” folio
52 from Bustan.
Artist is Bizhad.
Tells of the seduction of
Joseph. According to
Muslim legend, she lured
him through 7 doors but
when he withstood her, all
7 doors magically opened.
Notice the ornamentation.
Also, the script and
skewed perspective.
Carpets
Persian carpets are
famous, for good
reason.
This is the Maqsud
of Kashan. Finished
in 1540. This carpet
35 x 18 feet contains
25 million knots (340
per sq. inch)