Early Islamic Art
Islam means “Surrender to God “
Founded in Early Middle Ages
Mosque Features
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Sahn: enclosed courtyard
Quibla: prayer wall oriented toward Mecca
Mihrab: niche set into the prayer wall
Minbar: a pulpit from which the imam
(teacher) leads the faithful
Muhammed
• Born 570 ACE in Mecca
• Fled to Medina in 622 ACE
• Returned to Mecca to turn the Qa’aba from a
pagan shrine to an Islamic one.
• Religious monotheism Islam ( submission to
God). Rejected the Trinity of Christianity
(Father, Son, Holy Ghost)
Five Pillars of Islam
• Recitation of the Muslim act of faith that there is one God and
that Muhammad is God’s messenger
• The obligation to pray five times a day in a direction that
points to the Qa’aba in Mecca. Added obligation to
participate in Friday prayers as a community and hear a
sermon
• To donate a portion of the surplus of one’s wealth to charity
• To fast during the holy month of Ramadan- total abstinence of
all food and drink from sunrise to sunset.
• To make a pilgrimage to Mecca (called the Haj) at least once in
a lifetime.
Qur’an
• Qur’an ( Arabic for “recitation”)
• Written Arabic text of the recitations of
Muhammad’s teachings put together a generation
after his death
• It is as long as the New Testament of the Bible
• Authoritative commentators on the Qur’an and the
explication of certain oral traditions about the
Prophet and the early Islamic community constitute
a body of literature called Hadith. Developed a legal
code that is used for adopting Islamic for its
government.
Earliest Sanctuary, Dome of the Rock
Great Mosque at Samarra
Arches that enabled the roof to
Cover the most floor space at the
Time.
The dome in front of the Mihrab
Mihrab was reserved for the Caliph.
"/
Hall of the Two
Sisters,
Alhambra, 13541391, Granada,
Spain.
Sinan, Mosque of Selim II, 1568-1575, Edirne, Turkey
Mosque dome of Selim II
Mosque of Suleyman by Sinan the
Great 1550
Islamic Calligraphy
• Writing is the most honored art in Islam
• Adorns books, buildings, ceramics, textiles,
and metal works.
• Kufic style was abstract linear rhythms.
Sultan tugra
Islamic calligraphy
Tile work with calligraphy from a mosque in Tunisia
1602 -1616 ac
Luftallah Mosque
Iran
Translation of text woven into carpet:
'Except for thy threshold, there is no refuge for me in all the world.
Except for this door there is no resting-place for my head.
The work of the slave of the portal, Maqsud Kashani.'
Oldest known carpet
"Pandj Gandj",
Amir Khosroe Dehlavi
Tabriz School
16th Century
At Shirin's Reception
Attributed to Agha Mirak of Tabriz
School
source:http://www.art-arena.com/
Vocabulary
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Arabesque
Jali
Mecca, Medina
Minaret
Mosque
Muqarnas
Tessellation
Calligraphy
Koran
Mihrab
Minbar
Muhammad(570-632)
Qiblah
Multiple choice
1. Persian manuscripts are unusual in Islamic
art because they
A. Have great emotional range
B. Resist the ban on images
C. Incorporate arabesques into their work
D. Use a painterly brushstroke
2. Minarets are used to
A.
B.
C.
D.
Balance architectural members
Display calligraphy
Direct people’s attention to Mecca
Call people to prayer
3. The Dome of the Rock marks the site where
A.
B.
C.
D.
Jesus was born
The Koran was written
Muhammad was born
Muhammad ascended to heaven
4. This building is located in
A.Jerusalem
B.Cordoba
C.Granada
D.Turkey
5. Like some other Islamic
mosques this building
A.Has many windows
B.Has a wooden dome
C.Is centrally planned
D.Has a hypostyle hall
6. Although it cannot be seem
in this photo, this mosque
must have
A. A mihrab
B. Mythical beasts
C. A bell tower
D. A frieze
7. The highest calling for an Islamic artist is to be
A.
B.
C.
D.
A calligrapher
A painter
A sculptor
An architect
8. The Mosque of Selim II was inspired by
A.
B.
C.
D.
Santa Constanza
The Hagia Sophia
San Vitale
The Dome of the Rock
9. The Alhambra was a
A.
B.
C.
D.
Mosque
Palace
Shrine
frieze
10. Arabesques are based on
A.
B.
C.
D.
Calligraphy
Geometric patterns
Animal motifs
Floral designs
Short Essay (10 minutes)
This is an Islamic work of art. Where in the
Islamic world does this painting come from?
What characteristics place it within this culture?