Arthi
Arthi: ARTHI 1001 Spring 2015
Writing Assignment #2: Islamic Art
2015.4
The Islamic art not only serves the purpose of Muslim religious needs, but also represents the essence of the Muslim culture. Although Islamic art manifests in a wide range of forms from writings, tilling to ritual objects, great similarities can be found in these diverse forms. These art works are highly coherent in terms of aesthetics, motifs, and religious purposes.
The Islamic art throughout the early period (ca.500-ca.1000A.D) reflects how the Muslim culture developed over time and how the Muslim faith manifested itself through documentations, decorative arts, and ritual objects, employing the three main nonfigural elements: calligraphy, geometric patterning, and vegetal patterning. Calligraphy and patternings are often combined together as part of a ritual object, in which case, the calligraphy documentions provide indications of religious guidances and the patternings are used either for decoration purposes or as symbols of prosperation.
One of the most significant achievements of Islamic art and Muslim faith is the Qur’an as it serves both the aesthetic aspect and ritual purpose. The Qur’an is a documentation transmitted in Arabic of the God’s revelations to the Prophet Muhammad. According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, calligraphy is regarded as the most fundamental element of Islamic art. The Folio from a Qur’an Manuscript (Fg.1) exhibited in the AIC shows great aesthetic values as well as mystic components. In comparison to regular Arabic writings, the Folio presents an artistically formed way of documentation that extends and adds spacing to certain characters for aesthetic purposes, as can be seen on the second line of the Folio, the first line to the second letter has been stretched extra long so that the second line would line up with the first line. The text itself is highly decorated with the use for three different media: ink, gold and opaque watercolor. Great
Writing Assignment #2: Islamic Art
2015.4
The Islamic art not only serves the purpose of Muslim religious needs, but also represents the essence of the Muslim culture. Although Islamic art manifests in a wide range of forms from writings, tilling to ritual objects, great similarities can be found in these diverse forms. These art works are highly coherent in terms of aesthetics, motifs, and religious purposes.
The Islamic art throughout the early period (ca.500-ca.1000A.D) reflects how the Muslim culture developed over time and how the Muslim faith manifested itself through documentations, decorative arts, and ritual objects, employing the three main nonfigural elements: calligraphy, geometric patterning, and vegetal patterning. Calligraphy and patternings are often combined together as part of a ritual object, in which case, the calligraphy documentions provide indications of religious guidances and the patternings are used either for decoration purposes or as symbols of prosperation.
One of the most significant achievements of Islamic art and Muslim faith is the Qur’an as it serves both the aesthetic aspect and ritual purpose. The Qur’an is a documentation transmitted in Arabic of the God’s revelations to the Prophet Muhammad. According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, calligraphy is regarded as the most fundamental element of Islamic art. The Folio from a Qur’an Manuscript (Fg.1) exhibited in the AIC shows great aesthetic values as well as mystic components. In comparison to regular Arabic writings, the Folio presents an artistically formed way of documentation that extends and adds spacing to certain characters for aesthetic purposes, as can be seen on the second line of the Folio, the first line to the second letter has been stretched extra long so that the second line would line up with the first line. The text itself is highly decorated with the use for three different media: ink, gold and opaque watercolor. Great
References: 1. "Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History." The Nature of Islamic Art. Accessed April 2, 2015. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/orna/hd_orna.htm 2. "Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History." Calligraphy in Islamic Art. Accessed April 2, 2015. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/cali/hd_cali.htm 3. "Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History." Geometric Patterns in Islamic Art. Accessed April 2, 2015. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/geom/hd_geom.htm 4. "Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History." Vegetal Patterns in Islamic Art. Accessed April 2, 2015. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/vege/hd_vege.htm 5. "New Galleries for Islamic Art." New Galleries for Islamic Art. Accessed April 2, 2015. http://www.artic.edu/exhibition/new-galleries-islamic-art 6. Schimmel, Annemarie. Calligraphy and Islamic Culture. New York: New York University Press, 1984.