Post by Islamic Revival on Aug 14, 2004 8:39:29 GMT -5
T.B. Irving writes on Islamic architecture, “…few civilizations have approached Islam’s beauties in architecture: her soaring minarets and spires, her fabled domes, her cool corridors, all reflect the yearnings of Muslims, who refusing to find expression in natural depiction concentrate their energies on buildings and their embellishment.”<br>
These embellishments included the calligraphic mosaics of mosques, tombs and palaces throughout Persia, India, Turkey, Egypt and Morocco, along with marble carving, plaster work, delicate inlay and tile work. Muslims also evolved their own style of art, while producing beautiful ceramic tiles, porcelain, pottery, plates, bowls, tapestries and rugs, and lamps.
The defining elements of Islamic Architecture are many. The use of the frame created organization and design. Calligraphy was found in the decoration of almost every Islamic building as well as many objects. Geometry became a major art form by using the circle as a basis and generating patterns from repetition, symmetry and changing scale to create unusual effects. Reflected light was developed and multiplied with the Muqarnas cells beneath domes, and they reflected and refracted light.
Ceramic tiles and mirrors were added to increase light. Foliation including the classical vine and scroll motifs gave rise to the abstract art of the arabesque. Lastly, water was an essential element, whether flowing through palaces in India or in fountains found in the inner courtyards of Spain. Islamic architecture influenced the widespread use of the niche form for Mihrab, tombstone, door, window or decorative feature, lamps, domes, mosaics, geometric shapes, patterns, intertwining leaf motifs and designs, fountains, gardens, and courtyards.
Throughout the history of Islam, its art has taken a great variety of forms in the different parts of the Muslim World, which stretches from North Africa to Southeast Asia. These traditions persist today, and Islamic architecture and decorative arts are still very much alive and valued in many parts of the World.
Muslim architecture attests to the high level of sophistication Muslims had reached when the Western World was living through the dark ages. The modern world owes for its architectural and artistic development to the Muslims. This fact is now admitted even by the western scholars like Fletcher (1961): “It is now generally admitted that European Gothic Architecture owes a substantial debt to Islamic prototypes.”<br>
Of course, the epitome of Islamic art can be seen in the greatest Islamic masterpieces such as the grand mosques of Cordova in Spain, the Taj Mahal in India, and the Blue Mosque in Turkey. The works of these Muslim artists have become prototypes and models on which other artists and craftsmen patterned their own works, or from which they derived the inspiration for related work.
Reproduced from 2004 calendar by PharmEvo (Pvt.) Ltd.
pharmevo@cyber.net.pk
These embellishments included the calligraphic mosaics of mosques, tombs and palaces throughout Persia, India, Turkey, Egypt and Morocco, along with marble carving, plaster work, delicate inlay and tile work. Muslims also evolved their own style of art, while producing beautiful ceramic tiles, porcelain, pottery, plates, bowls, tapestries and rugs, and lamps.
The defining elements of Islamic Architecture are many. The use of the frame created organization and design. Calligraphy was found in the decoration of almost every Islamic building as well as many objects. Geometry became a major art form by using the circle as a basis and generating patterns from repetition, symmetry and changing scale to create unusual effects. Reflected light was developed and multiplied with the Muqarnas cells beneath domes, and they reflected and refracted light.
Ceramic tiles and mirrors were added to increase light. Foliation including the classical vine and scroll motifs gave rise to the abstract art of the arabesque. Lastly, water was an essential element, whether flowing through palaces in India or in fountains found in the inner courtyards of Spain. Islamic architecture influenced the widespread use of the niche form for Mihrab, tombstone, door, window or decorative feature, lamps, domes, mosaics, geometric shapes, patterns, intertwining leaf motifs and designs, fountains, gardens, and courtyards.
Throughout the history of Islam, its art has taken a great variety of forms in the different parts of the Muslim World, which stretches from North Africa to Southeast Asia. These traditions persist today, and Islamic architecture and decorative arts are still very much alive and valued in many parts of the World.
Muslim architecture attests to the high level of sophistication Muslims had reached when the Western World was living through the dark ages. The modern world owes for its architectural and artistic development to the Muslims. This fact is now admitted even by the western scholars like Fletcher (1961): “It is now generally admitted that European Gothic Architecture owes a substantial debt to Islamic prototypes.”<br>
Of course, the epitome of Islamic art can be seen in the greatest Islamic masterpieces such as the grand mosques of Cordova in Spain, the Taj Mahal in India, and the Blue Mosque in Turkey. The works of these Muslim artists have become prototypes and models on which other artists and craftsmen patterned their own works, or from which they derived the inspiration for related work.
Reproduced from 2004 calendar by PharmEvo (Pvt.) Ltd.
pharmevo@cyber.net.pk