Islamic Art

Islamic Art

Islamic art is perhaps the most accessible manifestation of a complex

civilization that often seems enigmatic to outsiders. Through its brilliant use of

color and its superb balance between design and form, Islamic art creates an

immediate visual impact. Its strong aesthetic appeal transcends distances in time

and space, as well as differences in language, culture, and creed. Islamic art not

only invites a closer look but also beckons the viewer to learn more.

"The term Islamic art may be confusing to some. It not only describes the

art created specifically in the service of , but it also characterizes secular art

produced in lands under Islamic rule or influence, whatever the artist's or the

patron's religious affiliation. The term suggests an art unified in style and

purpose, and indeed there are certain common features that distinguish the arts

of all Islamic lands."1 Although this is a highly dynamic art, which is often marked

by strong regional characteristics as well as by significant influences from other

cultures, it retains an overall coherence that is remarkable given its vast

geographic and temporal boundaries. Of paramount concern to the development

of this singular art is Islam itself, which fostered the creation of a distinctive visual

culture with its own unique artistic language. Calligraphy is the most important

and pervasive element in Islamic art. It has always been considered the noblest

form of art because of its association with the , the Muslim holy book, which is

written in Arabic. This preoccupation with beautiful writing extended to all arts

including secular manuscripts; inscriptions on palaces; and those applied to

metalwork, pottery, stone, glass, wood, and textiles and to non-Arabic-speaking

peoples within the Islamic commonwealth whose languages such as Persian,

Turkish, and Urdu were written in the Arabic script. Another characteristic of

Islamic art is a preference for covering surfaces with patterns composed of

geometric or vegetal elements. Complex geometric designs, as well as intricate

patterns of vegetal ornament (such as the arabesque), create the impression of

unending repetition, which is believed by some to be an inducement to

contemplate the infinite nature of God. This type of nonrepresentational

decoration may have been developed to such a high degree in Islamic art

because of the absence of figural imagery, at least within a religious context.

Contrary to a popular misconception, however, figural imagery is an

important aspect of Islamic art. Such images occur primarily in secular and

especially courtly arts and appear in a wide variety of media and in most periods

and places in which Islam flourished. It is important to note, nevertheless, that

representational imagery is almost invariably restricted to a private context.

Figurative art is excluded from the decoration of religious monuments. This

absence may be attributed to an Islamic antipathy toward anything that might be

mistaken for idols or idolatry, which are explicitly forbidden by the Qur'an. In

Islamic cultures the so-called decorative arts provide the primary means of

artistic expression, in contrast to Western art, in which painting and sculpture are

preeminent. Illuminated manuscripts, woven textiles and carpets, inlaid

metalwork, blown glass, glazed ceramics, and carved wood and stone all

absorbed the creative energies of artists, becoming highly developed art forms.

These works include small-scale objects of daily use, such as delicate glass

beakers, as well as more monumental architectural decoration, for example,

glazed tile panels from building facades. Such objects were meticulously

fabricated and carefully embellished, often with rare and costly materials,

suggesting that the people for whom they were made sought to surround

themselves with beauty.

Royal patronage played an important role in the making of Islamic art, as

it has in the arts of other cultures. The construction of mosques and other

religious buildings. including their decoration and furnishings, was the

responsibility of the ruler and the prerogative of high court officials. Such

monuments not only provided for the spiritual needs of the community but often

served educational and charitable functions as well. Royal patronage of secular

art was also a standard feature of Islamic sovereignty, one that enabled the ruler

to demonstrate the splendor of his court and, by extension, the superiority of his

state. Evidence of courtly patronage is derived from the works of art themselves,

but an equally important source of information is the extensive body of historical

texts