Two dominant features of Islamic art and architecture, the importance of calligraphic ornamentation and the form of the mosque, are intimately related to the Islamic faith and were developed in the early days of the religion. The part about Islamic art and architecture that stands out the most is it’s uniform style, its symmetrical and stands out more boldly than other buildings and art work.
The architecture is art in itself. The way that it is constructed is artistic. The paint is glossy and the buildings look just like the pots they make. Round, smooth, symmetrical, and colorful. White is an abundant color, but for architecture everything is white or brown, although, the tops of mosques and palaces are often painted. The buildings were built for religious reasons, schools, places to worship, and other places built to show the power of their faith. Many of these buildings do not survive or are in ruins. The buildings have tiles inside of them they have pictures on them called mosaics. These mosaics have colors of green and gold.
Other buildings are tombs and mausoleums. It was against Islamic beliefs to make the tombs and mausoleums as artistic as the palaces and mosques. However, they were still made as an art. With patterned brickwork just as other buildings. Shrines also have an art to their architecture as well. Shrines existed in pre-Islamic Arabia as places of pilgrimage along the oases and trade routes. All buildings of religion importance are made intricately and artistic. They take a lot of time to make and are well planned. Bright colors, patterns, and tiles.
The Essay on Arabic And Islamic Architecture
Arabic and Islamic Architecture The Suleymaniye Mosque: Beyond Inspiration The Hagia Sophia church and the Suleymaniye mosque: a thousand years apart but tied together eternally. One representing the achievement of the Christian-Byzantine empire and the other representing the ability of the Islamic-Ottoman empire and its architect Sinan. Two empires that had very little in common other than their ...
Islamic pottery displays a lot of innovation. The colors are bright and stand out as other Islamic art. There are patterns on the pottery, which was done by painting with metallic solution. To get the colors the solution was fired at different heats. At low heats, it produced brown, green, or red.
Patterns used in mosaics were also used in pottery and the patterns are symmetrical as well. Islamic art also included glass and wood carvings. Along with wood carvings were ivory carvings. Carved ivory boxes and carved elephant tusks were favored at the Fatimid court, and the tradition was continued in Arab Sicily. This delicate style of carving represented courtiers, animals, and foliage. There was also Bronze work. Some of the finest Islam bronze works have been parts of European church treasures. Also leatherwork and textiles are part of Islamic art. Rugs and carpets are also a big part of Islamic art. Each rug or carpet woven with detailed patterns. Colors of carpets included pale blue, red, and yellow.
Islamic art and architecture is a huge topic and has many aspects within it. All the types of art that is made, these are the best and what they are best noted for. The tiles, mosaics, palaces, rugs, and pottery are the most recognizable part of Islamic art and architecture.
