for Ms. Fuentes class

1. Islamic Art & Architecture
Faith, Pattern, Geometry

2. The Kaaba, Mecca. Pilgrims surrounding the Kaaba (dedicated by Mohammed)

3. Kaaba & Islam
• Originally held various “pagan” icons
• Mohammed fled Medina (the hijira) for
Mecca and threw out icons from the Kaaba
(aniconism)
• Islam calls for worship of only one god

4. The Kaaba
• Millions of faithful
Muslims
PILGRIMAGE or
ha’ij to Mecca
• Part of 5 pillars of
Islam for those
able to go
• Inscribed with a
few verses of the
Qu’ran (Koran)
• FLASHCARD

5. Pattern & Islam
• Figurative art,
especially religion,
avoided
• Islamic artists use
nonfigural ornament,
text, arabesques
(scrolling vines) &
complex patterns
However this varies by region/time frame.. What examples can you think of?

6. So how does this fit Islam?
• Merchant al-Amin saw vision of angel
in 610 CE
• Mohammed (messenger of God), went
to Mecca
• Recited revelations of the angel in
chanted verses
• His followers wrote down the verses,
became the Qur’an
• Attracted 1000s of followers; but
angered the powerful
• Fled Mecca for Medina (built first
mosque) place of worship/prayer
• Returned to Mecca with army of
10,0000
• Emptied the Kaaba - now symbolic
center of all Muslim prayer and
destination for the ha’ij.

7. 5 Pillars of Islam
• Allah (one god) : Mohammed =
msgr
• Prayer facing Mecca 5x day
(fountains in courtyards for
ablutions/washing)
• Zakah - alms/tax to help poor
• Daily fasting during Ramadan
(annual festival)
• Pilgrimage to Mecca -
circumambulate Kaaba
• What other monotheistic religions
do you know of?

8. The 4 Caliphs
• Ruled after Mohammed
• 3rd Caliph Uthman - completed the
Qur’an… unifying force of the
Arabic language
• Ali was the 4th caliph; power
struggle - assassination in 661
DIVISIONS FROM THIS CONFLICT
CONTINUE TODAY….
• Shi’a = followers of Ali as the one
true caliph
• Sunni = believe all 4 caliphs were
“rightfully guided”
Where are the Shia’s and Sunnis still fighting
TODAY ?????
Arabic was used to study and teach, but
also simply to delight the eye

9. Early Dynasties of the Islamic
Empire - Umayyads 661-750
• Following Ali’s assassination,
Umayyad Dynasty founded (661-
750)
• Empire expanded into Persia, Egypt,
Syria & Palestine w/in 20 years
• Went into India, N. Africa and Spain
by the early 700s.
• Built mosques and palaces from
capital in Damascus.
The Dome of the Rock was the first great
monument of Islamic Art.

10. The Spread of Islam in the Middle East and Europe
Four caliphs/followers of Mohammed succeeded --spread into India, Africa, Spain

13. Dome of the Rock, interior
Jerusalem flashcard
Begun 691 CE, Umayyad
1st great Islamic monument
3rd most holy site in Islam
Built on holy site for Jews &
Christians too;
Islamic view : Mohammed
completed the prophecies of
those faiths
Frieze of Qur’an writings of
gold mosaic on turquoise
background-oldest written
Qur’an verses
Oldest use of Qur’an in
architecture
•Golden dome, marble veneers, rich mosaics & patterned carpets
•Dome atop octagonal drum w/ arcades of piers and columns
•ambulatory aisles for faithful to walk around

14. Early Dynasties of
the Islamic Empire
• Ummayids were replaced by
Abbasid dynasty in 750;
• Ruled from Baghdad until 1258.
• Abbassids borrowed artistically
from Roman, Byzantium, China,
Persia & India
• Abbassids; medicine, arts, literature
The Dome of the Rock was the first great
momument of Islamic Art.

15. Mosque Features &
Plans
• Hypostyle (multicolumned)
mosques such as the Great
Mosque of Tunisia
• Added courtyard, flat roofed
hypostyle prayer hall towards
Mecca
• Qibla wall - mihrab
• Mihrab = niche for holy place,
such as Torah scrolls in a
synagogue or niche for Roman
god statue

16. Know & recognize these 3
characteristic arches/niches from
Islamic architecture
Muqarnas are unique to Islam
Often stacked and used in
multiples, very intricate and
dazzling to the eye
Sometimes vault domes, or used
as part of a mihrab
SEE EXAMPLES ON NEXT
PAGES

17. Tile Mosaic Mihrab,
from the Madrasa Imami, Isfahan
Medium: Glazed and cut tiles
Size: 11'3" X 7'6"
14th century Iran
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
One of finest examples of early
architectural ceramic decoration
3 inscriptions: outer in cursive, Qur’an
verses about 5 Pillars of Islam.
Inner Kufic sayings of prophet
Center panel: line in Kufic says
“The mosque is the house of every pious
person.”
FLASHCARD

19. Prayer Hall, Great Mosque of Cordoba,
Spain
Spanish Umayyad dynasty, 8th century
Flashcard
•Emir was patron of arts
•Cordoba was capital
•Appropriated former Christian church from
Visigoths
•Expanded by later rulers
•Hypostyle prayer hall marble columns
•Horseshoe arches (adopted from Romans!)
•Alternating red brick and white stone
voussoirs in the curved arch
•Domes were beautiful mosaics done by
master Byzantine artists; trade diplomacy
and competition in the medeival
Mediterranean

23. Dome of Great Mosque of
Cordoba, in front of the
mihrab
Note intricate mosaics
Islamic interest in
mathematics & geometry

24. Court of the Lions, Alhambra, Granada, Spain; 14th Century
City of Gardens .. Islamic palace set in gardens. Complex citadel with dramatic
views, miradors (lookout windows). Beautiful ceiling with clustered muqarnas
8 pointed star ceiling (next image)
Flashcard
Recognize
Court of the
Lions

25. Muqarnas Dome,
hall of the
Abencerrajes,
Palace of the
Lions, Alhambra

27. Students will discuss this with the
class.
Note dome, and minarets
Sultan Selim Mosque

28. Mosque of Sultan
Selim, Edirne
Ottoman Empire,
16th century
Turkey
Architect Sinan
(for Suleyman the
Magnificent)
Flashcard
•Minarets almost
300’ high, only 12’
in diameter
•Only royal
mosques allowed
multiple minarets
Square base transitioned to central dome with corner half domes
Gigantic hemispheric dome larger than Hagia Sophia
Complex held mosque, madrasa, hospital, kitchens, market,
baths
Central plan with fountain (see plans)

29. Interior of dome of
Mosque of Sultan Selim
Edirne
STUDENTS PRESENT
THIS

30. Great Mosque of
Ishafan (Iran)
Note iwan walls
with vaulted
entrances
Mosaic tile
decoration
Minarets
Four iwan plan
17th century, lots of
additions since

31. Four Iwan Mosque plan
Congregational Mosque, Isfahan
Developed in Iran
Iwan = huge, barrel vaulted walls with
arch entrances
Cross-axial emphasis
Central courtyard
Qibla is the prayer wall
KNOW THIS VOCABULARY

32. Calligraphy
• Students will present
• Art of fine hand lettering
• Qur’an word of god- must be written with
devotion & embellishment
• Verbal information & aesthetics

33. Tugra of Sultan
Suleyman
Istanbul, Turkey
16th Century, Ottoman
Empire
Ink, paint, and gold on
paper
Tugras combined the
ruler’s name with the
phrase Eternally Victorious
Tugras appeared on seals,
coints, buildings, edicts
Body design may have
been inspired by Chinese
ceramics
FLASHCARDS

35. Ceramics & Glassware
• Students will present
• Samarkand
• Fritware
• Figurative embellishment, especially when
illuminated manuscripts & books popular

36. The Macy Jug
Ceramic
Painted fritware, incised
1215-1216, Iran
Now at Metropolitan Museum of
Art
FLASHCARD IMAGE
Technique to produce lustrous
metallic surface on fired ceramic
Painted dense, elaborate patterns of
animals, foliage, etc.
Originally FRITWARE used for beads
in ancient Egypt

37. “Oriental” Rugs
• Students will present
• Worldwide popularity even through today
• Knotted carpets date back 4th century BCE
• Silk weaving exchange with China (China
Silk Road)
• Paradise & garden associations

39. “Oriental” Rugs
• Rugs used for Muslim
prayer
• Knotted rugs technique
passed down thru
generations

40. Art of the Book
• Students will present
• Parallels illuminated manuscripts in Europe
• More figurative embellishment allowed
• Persian miniatures
• Islamic emphasis on Qur’an

41. Qur’an Frontspiece, Cairo
Egypt, 1368 CE.
Nonfigural designs from
Mamluk Egypt
Intricate designs paralleled
What????

42. Another Bihzad miniature
Shirin sees Khusraus Portrait