4.2 Muslim Art, Architecture
and Design, Mosques and
palaces
By Michelle Peck Williams, adapted by Dianne
Siasoco 10/23/2012
History of Islam
• 7th Century AD
– Religion of Islam started by Muhammad, in
what is now Saudi Arabia. “Muslims” are
followers, “Islam” is the religion.
• 8th Century AD & on
– Islamic empire spreads throughout the Middle
East, North Africa, Spain, Pakistan, India,
Bangladesh, Indonesia, etc.
• 1453
– Ottoman Turks (Muslims) take over
Constantinople & the Byzantine Empire,
renaming it Istanbul.
• 1492
– Christians Ferdinand and Isabella defeat and
kick out all the Muslims in Spain.
Art
• Strict rules about meant you could
NOT make a picture of statue of
God, a holy person, etc.
• Muhammad’s face is usually not
shown.
• Books can show “historical
images” but they are not for
praying to.
• Some rules relaxed later in some
places, like Iran (Persians).
• So, instead, Islamic art focused on
REPETITION, using:
– Geometric patterns
– Arabesques
– Calligraphy
Geometric patterns
Arabesques (curved designs)
Calligraphy:
Writing
Islamic architecture and design
Please copy:
• Plaster is a building material used for
covering walls and ceilings. Similar to
mortar or cement it is mixed with water.
Unlike mortar and cement, plaster
remains quite soft and can be easily
manipulated with tools. It is used for
finishing a construction.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plaster
Image to right: diki.pl
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Vaulted roofs
• In building construction, a
structural member consisting of an
arrangement of arches, usually
forming a ceiling or roof.
•
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/624158/vault
Islamic Architecture
• Mosque: place of worship
Many mosques feature columns,
domes and arches.
Portico
Image from Ronda:
http://www.google.es/imgres?q=portico+spain&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&rlz=1
C1SKPL_enES405&biw=1303&bih=498&tbm=isch&tbnid=OreH1_JH9lcMM:&imgrefurl=http://www.rgbstock.com/bigphoto/2dFom8G/Portico
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•
Image from
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Islamic architecture often uses a
courtyard with a portico.
Minarets are
the towers
where the
muezzin calls
people to
prayer.
Inside, mosques are carpeted and
you must remove your shoes.
Look at page 35.
Can you find the…
• Kiblah
• Mihrab-where the Koran is kept
Do you know where Damascus,
Kairouan, Samarra, Jerusalem, and
Cordoba are?
Samarra, Iraq
• Before an
explosion in
2006
• After
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_4
740000/newsid_4740000/4740030.stm
• Kairouan is in Tunisia. Referred to as the
Islamic Cultural Capital, it is a UNESCO
World Heritage site. The city was
founded by the Arabs around 670. The
holy Mosque of Uqba is situated in the
city.[2][3] It is considered by many
Muslims to be Islam's fourth holiest city.
Famous Mosques
• The Ka’aba, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia
Famous Mosques
• Medina
Famous Mosques
• The Dome of the Rock, in
Jerusalem, Israel
More Dome of the Rock
Dome of the Rock Interior
Famous Mosques
• The Great Mosque of Cordoba in
Spain
Other Famous Architecture:
• The Taj Mahal in India
• It’s a tomb, but it looks like a
Mosque.
• Built by Shah Jahan, a Muslim ruler
of India in the 1600s.
Other Famous Architecture
• The Alhambra in Spain
• It’s a palace (house).
More Alhambra
More Alhambra
More Alhambra
More Alhambra
Water
• Because they were a
desert culture, the early
Muslims valued water
highly, and often
incorporated it into
architectural design.
• Water is used for
washing before prayers,
5 times a day.
Arabic Science & Math
• To create such beautiful art works, Arabic
geometry and math became very
advanced.
• They invented algebra.
• “Arabic numerals” are still used today (0,
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9).
• They were the first to create hospitals
with quarantine, the compass, lenses,
and the first to create distilled alcohol as
an anesthetic.
• Arab libraries contained math & science
books from all over the world, and helped
start the Renaissance in Europe.
Your PROJECT
• Create an Islamic-style Geometric
“Kaleidoscope” design.
• It must have RADIAL BALANCE.
• You must color the whole thing
with RADIAL BALANCE with 3 or
more colors to get full credit.
Islamic Exit Slips
A. Explain ONE way the
BELIEFS of Islam
influence the ART.
B. Explain ONE way you
used Islamic style to
create your design.