Islamic Art

Chronology of Early Islam

Muhammad Born in Mecca ca. 570

Muhammad’s First Revelation610

Flight to Medina (Hijra)622

Muhammad Dies in Medina 632

Five Pillars of Islam

Faith There is no God but God;

Muhammad is his messenger

Prayer Salat–obligatory prayers

said five times daily

Charity Zakat–“purification” or “growth”

Fasting during month of Ramadan

Pilgrimage Hajj–trip to Mecca once in a lifetime some go yearly during Ramadan

Umayyad Art

Dome of the Rock , Jerusalem, 687-692

Dome of the Rock

Jerusalem

687-692

Dome of the Rock (interior)

Jerusalem

687-692

Great Mosque

Damascus, Syria

706-715

Mosaic from CourtyardGreat Mosque

Damascus, Syria

706-715

Plan of the Umayyad Palace

Mshatta, Jordan

ca. 740-750

Detail of the Friezeof the Umayyad Palace

Mshatta, Jordan

ca. 740 - 750limestone16 ft. 7 in. high

Frieze of the Umayyad Palace, Mshatta, Jordan, ca. 740 – 750, limestone16 ft. 7 in. high

Abbasid Art

Aerial view of the Great Mosque, Qayrawan, Tunisia , ca. 836-875

Plan of the Great Mosque

Qayrawan, Tunisia

ca. 836-875

Malwiya minaret of the Great Mosque, Samarra, Iraq

ca. 848-852

In situ

Mausoleum of the Samanids,, Bukhara, Uzbekistan, early 10th century

Umayyad Art in Iberia

Entrance to the Great Mosque

Córdoba, Spain

8th to 10th centuries

Prayer hall of the Great Mosque

Córdoba, Spain

8th to 10th centuries

Dome in front of the mihrabof the Great Mosque

Córdoba, Spain

961-965

Plaque, 10th or early 11th centuryivory, quartz, pigment, 4 1/4 x 8 in.

Plaque, 10th or early 11th century, ivory, quartz, pigment, 4 1/4 x 8 in.

Nasrid Art in Iberia

Court of Lions, Alahambra Palace, Granada, Spain

1354-1391

Muqarnas dome, hall of the Two SistersAlahambra Palace

Granada, Spain

1354-1391

Islamic Luxury Arts

Confronting lions and palm tree

fragment of a textile from Zandana, Uzbekistan

8th centurysilk compound twill2 ft. 11 in. x 2 ft. 9 1/2 in.

Sulayman

Ewer in the form of a bird

796brass with silver and copper inlay1 ft. 3 in. high

Quran page with the beginning of surah 18, al Kahf (The Cave)

9th or early 10th centuryink and gold on vellum7 1/4 in. x 10 1/4 in.

Mamluk Art

Madrasa-mosque-mausoleum complex of Sultan Hasan

Cairo, Egypt

1356-1363

plan of the Madrasa - Mosque - Mausoleum complex of Sultan Hasan

Cairo, Egypt

Qibla wall, main iwanMadrasa-mosque-mausoleum complex of Sultan Hasan

Cairo, Egypt

1356-1363

Ottoman Turkish Art

Sinan

Mosque of Selim II

Edirne, Turkey

1568-1575

Sinan

plan of Mosque of Selim II

Edirne, Turkey

1568-1575

Sinan

Mosque of Selim II (interior)

Edirne, Turkey

1568-1575

Seljuk Art

Courtyard of the Great Mosque, Isfahan, Iran, 11th to 17th centuries

Dome of the Shah Mosque

Isfahan, Iran

1611-1638

Mihrab from the Madrasa Imami

Isfahan, Iran

ca. 1354glazed mosaic tilework11 ft. 3 in. x 7 ft. 6 in.

Safavid Art

Sultan-Muhammad

The court of Gayumarsdetail of folio 20 verso of the Shahnama of Shah Tahmasp

Tabriz, Iran

ca.1525-1535ink, watercolor and gold on paper13 x 9 in.

Sultan-Muhammad, The court of Gayumars, detail of folio 20 verso , of the Shahnama of Shah Tahmasp, Tabriz, Iran, ca.1525-1535, ink, watercolor and gold on paper

Sultan-Muhammad

Hushang discovers firedetail of folio recto of the Shahnama of Shah Tahmasp

Tabriz, Iran

ca.1525-1535ink, watercolor and gold on paper13 x 9 in.

Mughal Art

Taj Mahal, Agra, India, 1632-1647

Sub-Saharan Islamic Art

Eastern façade of Friday, Mosque, Djenne, Mali, 13th century, rebuilt 1906-07