Islamic Art Gallery Assignment

Steven GeorgeDecember 5, 2013

Sasanian Crown

• http://www.lacma.org/islamic_art/eia.htm• Los Angeles County Museum of Art• Accessed 11/10/2013• The Sasanian crown, once an insignia of royal power, was an

important motif in early Islamic art. The image above has the crown within a ninth-century ceramic bowl.

Jewelry

• http://www.lacma.org/islamic_art/ema.htm• Los Angeles County Museum of Art• Accessed 11/10/2013• Jewelry demonstrates the artistry and luxury of Islamic goldworking

techniques in the Fatimid period. Bracelets of this type were worn in pairs and served as an indicator of a woman’s wealth and social standing.

Ceramic Tiles

• http://www.lacma.org/islamic_art/lma.htm• Los Angeles County Museum of Art• Accessed 11/10/2013• Glazed ceramic tiles were used to emphasize important monuments.

This example of a tile was assembled like a mosaic and fixed with mortar. This star-shaped pattern would join other tiles as part of a more complex design.

Gilt Glass Oil Lamp

• http://www.lacma.org/islamic_art/lma.htm• Los Angeles County Museum of Art• Accessed 11/10/2013• Produce in either Syria or Egypt. Has distinctive decorations.

Inscriptions used to inform and to decorate. Inscription is from a verse in the Qu’ran – which reflects it was created for a religious setting.

Enhancement of Calligraphy

• http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/c/calligraphy-in-islamic-art/• Victoria & Albert Museum• Accessed 11/16/2013• Qu’ran manuscript from Iran around about 1370 A.D. Is an example of enhancing elegant writing by

adding decoration. The words themselves could be written in gold, or in colors other than black. Letters and words could also be outlined or could lie against a background pattern. It shows how calligraphers could make functional details of formatting and punctuation into beautifully designed elements. The decorated frames and background patterns do not interfere with the clarity of the script, or distract from the content of the text. This is very important because the Qu’ran is considered to be the word of God.

Use of Geometric Patterns

• http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/geom/hd_geom.htm#slideshow4

• Metropolitan Museum of Art• Accessed 11/16/2013• Bowl. 12-13th century Afghanistan. Geometric patterns were combined,

duplicated, interlaced, and arranged in intricate combinations, thus becoming one of the most distinguishing features of Islamic art.

Vegetal Patterns

• http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/10.218• Metropolitan Museum of Art• Accessed 11/16/2013• Wooden (teak) Stand for a Qur'an manuscript, Muzzafarid period (1314–

93), dated 1360 A.D. This beautifully carved decoration, which includes the motif of a flowered bush within a niche surrounded by calligraphic blessings upon the Prophet and the Twelve Imams, reveals a Shici association.

Taj Mahal

• http://islamicart.com/library/empires/india/taj_mahal.html• Harvard University Press (1991)• Accessed 11/24/2013• Constructed in India in 1632, this mausoleum took 20 years to build.

Comprised of white marble sitting on a raised platform, this beautiful structure is known for its symmetry, its interior mosaics and intricate inlaid patterns of precious stones.

Use of Light in Architecture

• http://islamicart.com/main/architecture/light.html• Shah-Hamza Ali mausoleum at Shiraz• Accessed 11/24/2013• Development and multiplication of muqarnas cells beneath

the domes can be understood by their function in reflecting and refracting light.

Qur’an Recitation

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=jivNz_i9QTU

• Amin Pouya of Iran competes in the International Qur'an Competition in 2006.

• Accessed 12/5/2013• Shows the role of music and sound within the Muslim world.

Voices and Instruments

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=WpAuJyGjkVw

• Sher Miandad performing Qawwali • Accessed 12/5/2013• Audio arts within the Muslim world.