Mosque of Ibn Tulun, Fustat, Egypt, 884 (9^th cent.)

Ibn Tulun moved from Samarra to Egypt after rebelling against the Abbassids. The mosque has a square design, with a large central courtyard and fountain. the Minaret is inspired by an Iraqi ethnic tradition, even though Ibn Tulun was rebelling against the Abbassids he uses Abbassid forms. Spiral minaret, which may have been inspried by the ancient Mesopotamian ziggarat. It also has stuccoed walls, an Abbassid material,  with geometric and vegetal forms, inspired by the great mosque of Samarra.

HYPOSTYLE

Mosque of Ibn Tulun, Cairo, Egypt, 884 (9^th cent.)

Ibn Tulun moved from Samarra to Egypt after rebelling against the Abbassids. The mosque has a square design, with a large central courtyard and fountain. the Minaret is inspired by an Iraqi ethnic tradition, even though Ibn Tulun was rebelling against the Abbassids he uses Abbassid forms. Spiral minaret, which may have been inspried by the ancient Mesopotamian ziggarat. It also has stuccoed walls, an Abbassid material,  with geometric and vegetal forms, inspired by the great mosque of Samarra.

HYPOSTYLE

Mosque of Ibn Tulun, Cairo, Egypt, 884 (9^th cent.)

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Mosque of Ibn Tulun, Cairo, Egypt, 884 (9^th cent.)

Ibn Tulun moved from Samarra to Egypt after rebelling against the Abbassids. The mosque has a square design, with a large central courtyard and fountain. the Minaret is inspired by an Iraqi ethnic tradition, even though Ibn Tulun was rebelling against the Abbassids he uses Abbassid forms. Spiral minaret, which may have been inspried by the ancient Mesopotamian ziggarat. It also has stuccoed walls, an Abbassid material,  with geometric and vegetal forms, inspired by the great mosque of Samarra.

HYPOSTYLE

Great Mosque of Qairawan, Tunisia, 7th cent

T-Hypostyle, still has a central courtyard but the central aisle ends on a bey in front of the mirhab on the qibla wall. Emphasizes the mirhab.

Its columns are all spolia from greco-byzantine buildings.

Introduction of horseshoe arch.

ribbed or fluted dome, minbar and maqsura screen, suggests Caliphic use. Lstre tiles, highly decorative treatment of mirhab, shows interest in the mirhab, also with luminosity, shows the influence of Sassanian silver plates, but without the silver because that was looked down upon.

Great Mosque of Qairawan, Tunisia, 7th cent

T-Hypostyle, still has a central courtyard but the central aisle ends on a bey in front of the mirhab on the qibla wall. Emphasizes the mirhab.

Its columns are all spolia from greco-byzantine buildings.

Introduction of horseshoe arch.

ribbed or fluted dome, minbar and maqsura screen, suggests Caliphic use. Lstre tiles, highly decorative treatment of mirhab, shows interest in the mirhab, also with luminosity, shows the influence of Sassanian silver plates, but without the silver because that was looked down upon.

Great Mosque of Damascus, Syria, 715 (Early 8^th cent.)

Syrian Basilical type. Arab armies invaded syria, but Muslims remained a minority for a long time.  Longitudinal plan. Literally uses a repurposed basilical space. Shared by Christians and Muslims. Contains the Tomb of St. John. Uses the Christian Clerestory, which catches on in Muslim architecture. Famous confusing mosaic.

Great Mosque of Damascus, Syria, 715 (Early 8^th cent.)

Syrian Basilical type. Arab armies invaded syria, but Muslims remained a minority for a long time.  Longitudinal plan. Literally uses a repurposed basilical space. Shared by Christians and Muslims. Contains the Tomb of St. John. Uses the Christian Clerestory, which catches on in Muslim architecture. Famous confusing mosaic.

Qusayr Amra, Jordan, Early 8^th cent

A pleasure palace for a prince, built with large blocks of drafted stone, with a stuccoed interior, modeled after Roman Villa Rustica, secular space, lots of different types of decoration. Also a meeting place, a way for a prince to show the extent of his domain, Greco Roman bathhouse. Lots of decoration, many styles, subjects, nudity, some vignettes. Images of princely pastimes related to Sassanian models. Political images in the Byzantine style.  Impressive dome.

Qusayr Amra, Jordan, Early 8^th cent

A pleasure palace for a prince, built with large blocks of drafted stone, with a stuccoed interior, modeled after Roman Villa Rustica, secular space, lots of different types of decoration. Also a meeting place, a way for a prince to show the extent of his domain, Greco Roman bathhouse. Lots of decoration, many styles, subjects, nudity, some vignettes. Images of princely pastimes related to Sassanian models. Political images in the Byzantine style.  Impressive dome.

Qusayr Amra, Jordan, Early 8^th cent

A pleasure palace for a prince, built with large blocks of drafted stone, with a stuccoed interior, modeled after Roman Villa Rustica, secular space, lots of different types of decoration. Also a meeting place, a way for a prince to show the extent of his domain, Greco Roman bathhouse. Lots of decoration, many styles, subjects, nudity, some vignettes. Images of princely pastimes related to Sassanian models. Political images in the Byzantine style.  Impressive dome.

Khirbat al-Mafjar, Jericho, Umayyad, 8^th cent

Gazelles and a lion, less indication of space, no clear ground, still uses light and shadow to model, though the image isvery symetrical th lion on the right marks som action, lack of human figures. In the Diwan, or small auidence chamber. Perhaps represents Umayyad power, perhaps the princes own sexual prowess.

Khirbat al-Mafjar, Jericho, Umayyad, 8^th cent

Al-Walid II, fine quality ashlar stone, made up of a residential palace, mosque, and bathhouse, stricking decorative scheme, the entire floor of the bathhouse is decorated with geometric patterns, shows the fascination with Greek and roman thought and maths and sciences. Highly interested in geometry, not simply ornament.

Khirbat al-Mafjar, Jericho, Umayyad, 8^th cent

Al-Walid II, fine quality ashlar stone, made up of a residential palace, mosque, and bathhouse, stricking decorative scheme, the entire floor of the bathhouse is decorated with geometric patterns, shows the fascination with Greek and roman thought and maths and sciences. Highly interested in geometry, not simply ornament.

Jawsaq al-Khaqani, Samarra, Iraq, 9^th cent

The third type of early Islamic princely architecture is the palace-city. Several of these huge palaces are part of the enormous mass of ruins at Sāmarrāʾ, the temporary ʿAbbāsid capital from 838 to 883. Three consecutive Iwans at the entrance. Has seperate public and private space. Decorated in the Sassanian style, some buddhist influence, lots of images of dancers and musicians.

Jawsaq al-Khaqani, Samarra, Iraq, 9^th cent

 The third type of early Islamic princely architecture is the palace-city. Several of these huge palaces are part of the enormous mass of ruins at Sāmarrāʾ, the temporary ʿAbbāsid capital from 838 to 883. Three consecutive Iwans at the entrance. Has seperate public and private space. Decorated in the Sassanian style, some buddhist influence, lots of images of dancers and musicians.

Great Mosque of Cordoba, 784-987

Great Mosque of Cordoba, 784-987

Great Mosque of Cordoba, 784-987

Great Mosque of Cordoba, 784-987

Samanid Mausoleum of Bukhara. 9^th-10^th cent

The Shi'a see tombs as a potential place of intercession. Sunnis condemn the practice, becaue they don't believe in intercession. Informed by Sassanian atashgah- Fire Temples. A canopy tomb.

Improves on this idea. Purely geometric and patterned design of the exterior. Shows a shift away over time, from figurative to geometric decoration.

Samanid Mausoleum of Bukhara. 9^th-10^th cent

The Shi'a see tombs as a potential place of intercession. Sunnis condemn the practice, becaue they don't believe in intercession. Informed by Sassanian atashgah- Fire Temples. A canopy tomb.

Improves on this idea. Purely geometric and patterned design of the exterior. Shows a shift away over time, from figurative to geometric decoration.

Dome of the Rock, Mt. Moriah, Jerusalem, Built 685-691

Earliest suriviving Islamic large scale monument. Most celebrated site after the Ka'ba.  On the supposed site of the Temple of Soloman. Western wall surrounding the monument is the wailing wall, so it is sort of a shared monument. It is a commemerative monument surrounding a rock, whose function is not truly known. Inspired by the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, octagonal building, double arcade, one octagonal one circular, spolia columns. Interesting form of Stone worship. Made in direct competition with the Holy Sepulchre. Inscriptions about how Jesus was not the son of God, and which emphasize the primacy of Islam. Inside has abstracted depictions of crowns for symbolic reasons.

Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem, Built 685-691

Earliest suriviving Islamic large scale monument. Most celebrated site after the Ka'ba.  On the supposed site of the Temple of Soloman. Western wall surrounding the monument is the wailing wall, so it is sort of a shared monument. It is a commemerative monument surrounding a rock, whose function is not truly known. Inspired by the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, octagonal building, double arcade, one octagonal one circular, spolia columns. Interesting form of Stone worship. Made in direct competition with the Holy Sepulchre. Inscriptions about how Jesus was not the son of God, and which emphasize the primacy of Islam. Inside has abstracted depictions of crowns for symbolic reasons.

Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem, Built 685-691

Earliest suriviving Islamic large scale monument. Most celebrated site after the Ka'ba.  On the supposed site of the Temple of Soloman. Western wall surrounding the monument is the wailing wall, so it is sort of a shared monument. It is a commemerative monument surrounding a rock, whose function is not truly known. Inspired by the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, octagonal building, double arcade, one octagonal one circular, spolia columns. Interesting form of Stone worship. Made in direct competition with the Holy Sepulchre. Inscriptions about how Jesus was not the son of God, and which emphasize the primacy of Islam. Inside has abstracted depictions of crowns for symbolic reasons.

The Mosque of Al-Azhar, Fatimid, Cairo, Egypt, 10^th cent

7er Shi'a. Lots of connection to Europe. Named in honor of Fatimid. T-Hypostyle Mosque. Emergence of monumental gateways for mosques. Inspired by Romanesque architecture. Finely dressed stone is also an innovation, in that it was a traditional Egyptian material, not a traditional Muslim material. Roundels, keel arches, and crenelations, all Christian influenced things. Interior prayer hall- Spolia column, decorated in a stle very much like the Samarra A style. Dome interior uses Muquarnas. History of education, first Shi'a now Sunni.

The Mosque of Al-Azhar, Fatimid, Cairo, Egypt, 10^th cent

7er Shi'a. Lots of connection to Europe. Named in honor of Fatimid. T-Hypostyle Mosque. Emergence of monumental gateways for mosques. Inspired by Romanesque architecture. Finely dressed stone is also an innovation, in that it was a traditional Egyptian material, not a traditional Muslim material. Roundels, keel arches, and crenelations, all Christian influenced things. Interior prayer hall- Spolia column, decorated in a stle very much like the Samarra A style. Dome interior uses Muquarnas. History of education, first Shi'a now Sunni.

The Mosque of Al-Azhar, Fatimid, Cairo, Egypt, 10^th cent

7er Shi'a. Lots of connection to Europe. Named in honor of Fatimid. T-Hypostyle Mosque. Emergence of monumental gateways for mosques. Inspired by Romanesque architecture. Finely dressed stone is also an innovation, in that it was a traditional Egyptian material, not a traditional Muslim material. Roundels, keel arches, and crenelations, all Christian influenced things. Interior prayer hall- Spolia column, decorated in a stle very much like the Samarra A style. Dome interior uses Muquarnas. History of education, first Shi'a now Sunni.

The Mosque of Al-Azhar, Fatimid, Cairo, Egypt, 10^th cent

7er Shi'a. Lots of connection to Europe. Named in honor of Fatimid. T-Hypostyle Mosque. Emergence of monumental gateways for mosques. Inspired by Romanesque architecture. Finely dressed stone is also an innovation, in that it was a traditional Egyptian material, not a traditional Muslim material. Roundels, keel arches, and crenelations, all Christian influenced things. Interior prayer hall- Spolia column, decorated in a stle very much like the Samarra A style. Dome interior uses Muquarnas. History of education, first Shi'a now Sunni.

The Mosque of Al-Aqmar, Fatimid, Cairo, Egypt, 12^th cent, build under vizier al-Ma’mun al-Bata’ihi

Built by a Vizier, demonstrates the shifting power. Not large, but important. Rectangular plan, but a shifted entrance, city scape dictates the shape. Decorated faed with fluted keel arches. Muquarnas used as a purely deorative elements. Calligraphic inscriptions uses kufic, almost illegible, not Qur'anic verses supporting the power of the vizirs. Political inscriptions, even the pro-shi'a inscriptions are political.  Lines extning out represent light, important concept in Shi'ism.

The Mosque of Al-Aqmar, Fatimid, Cairo, Egypt, 12^th cent, build under vizier al-Ma’mun al-Bata’ihi

Built by a Vizier, demonstrates the shifting power. Not large, but important. Rectangular plan, but a shifted entrance, city scape dictates the shape. Decorated faed with fluted keel arches. Muquarnas used as a purely deorative elements. Calligraphic inscriptions uses kufic, almost illegible, not Qur'anic verses supporting the power of the vizirs. Political inscriptions, even the pro-shi'a inscriptions are political.  Lines extning out represent light, important concept in Shi'ism.

The Mosque of Al-Aqmar, Fatimid, Cairo, Egypt, 12^th cent, build under vizier al-Ma’mun al-Bata’ihi

Built by a Vizier, demonstrates the shifting power. Not large, but important. Rectangular plan, but a shifted entrance, city scape dictates the shape. Decorated faed with fluted keel arches. Muquarnas used as a purely deorative elements. Calligraphic inscriptions uses kufic, almost illegible, not Qur'anic verses supporting the power of the vizirs. Political inscriptions, even the pro-shi'a inscriptions are political.  Lines extning out represent light, important concept in Shi'ism.

Great Mosque of Isfahan, Iran, begun in the 8^th century, developed over time

Four Iwan Plan similar to Sassanian Taq-ikisra a sassanian secular palace, using secular architecture in relgious building shows the admiration they had of Sassanian models. absolutely huge, prayerhall covered with many small domes, then marked with two larger domes, one buil by nizam al-mulk who created the great system of education, and the other is made by his rival a year later and uses Muqarnas on a grand scale. Mosque is a madrassa.

Great Mosque of Isfahan, Iran, begun in the 8^th century, developed over time

Four Iwan Plan similar to Sassanian Taq-ikisra a sassanian secular palace, using secular architecture in relgious building shows the admiration they had of Sassanian models. absolutely huge, prayerhall covered with many small domes, then marked with two larger domes, one buil by nizam al-mulk who created the great system of education, and the other is made by his rival a year later and uses Muqarnas on a grand scale. Mosque is a madrassa.

Great Mosque of Isfahan, Iran, begun in the 8^th century, developed over time

Four Iwan Plan similar to Sassanian Taq-ikisra a sassanian secular palace, using secular architecture in relgious building shows the admiration they had of Sassanian models. absolutely huge, prayerhall covered with many small domes, then marked with two larger domes, one buil by nizam al-mulk who created the great system of education, and the other is made by his rival a year later and uses Muqarnas on a grand scale. Mosque is a madrassa.

Great Mosque of Isfahan, Iran, begun in the 8^th century, developed over time

Four Iwan Plan similar to Sassanian Taq-ikisra a sassanian secular palace, using secular architecture in relgious building shows the admiration they had of Sassanian models. absolutely huge, prayerhall covered with many small domes, then marked with two larger domes, one buil by nizam al-mulk who created the great system of education, and the other is made by his rival a year later and uses Muqarnas on a grand scale. Mosque is a madrassa.

Mustansiriya Madrasah, Baghdad, Iraq, established 13^th cent

A stand alone building, a four iwan plan, sunni ideologies were spread in this building. Each iean was devoted to a different sunni school, differentiates, but unifies the schools.

Mustansiriya Madrasah, Baghdad, Iraq, established 13^th cent

A stand alone building, a four iwan plan, sunni ideologies were spread in this building. Each iean was devoted to a different sunni school, differentiates, but unifies the schools.

Qusayr Amra, Jordan, Umayyad, Early 8^th cent

Wall painting

Samarra style A Stucco-

vine-leave ornament bearing resemblance to the Hellenistic, naturalizing origin.

Greco-roman, leaf patterning, repetitve geometiric forms, you can see the background, the patterns are carved very deeply and do no interact with the background.

Samarra style B stucco-

vegetal ornament with some abstraction such as no stalks from which the leaves grow.

Greater variety of forms, more regularized geometric forms, similar depth of relief throughout, there is less of a differentiation between foreground and background, it is not quite seamless. A tension between motif and frame.

Samarra style C stucco-

Abstract, beveled edges, ambigious forms, infinte repitition

Some dgree of blurred edges, no distinction made between decoration and background, one cannot exist without the other, seamless. the indicidual motif is subsumed into the relationship between units, they are all interdependent on one another. This is the birth of the arabesque, a vreak from earlier styles. Uniquely arab.

Girih decoration of the canopy tombs of Kharraqan
dated 1067-68 and 1093

Born of Al-Ghazali's synthesis of Sunni Orthodox Ash'arism and moderate Sufi Muq'tazali thought.

Girih decoration of the canopy tombs of Kharraqan
dated 1067-68 and 1093

Abbasid monochrome lusterware, musician, 10th cent

Samanid epigraphic wares

9th-10th cent. Samarqand

 Coronation Mantle of Roger II 1133-34 A.D.

Images is a tree with a lion, conservative Iconographay that stretches back to the Sassanians, but for a Christian king. Kufic inscription that hives the date in Muslim years. Liberal mindedness of at least some people in this period.

Fatimid ivories, Egypt

Fatimids were famous for their ivories, very intricate, very delicate, very high level technique. Secular images, very close commerical and artistic connections to non-muslim countries, dynamic posing, fluidity, colume, more naturalism.

The Blue Qur'an (Arabic: المصحف الأزرق) is a late 9th - early 10th century Tunisian Qur'an manuscript in Kufic calligraphy. It is written in gold (chrysography) on parchment colored with indigo, a unique aspect.

Ibn al-Bawwāb was a Persian calligrapher and illuminator who lived during the time of the Buyid dynasty. He most likely died around 1022 AD in Baghdad

One of the most beautiful in the rayḥānī script is in the Laleli Mosque in Istanbul, a gift of the Ottoman Sultan Selim I (1470–1512). Ibn al-Bawwāb was recognized as a master in his own time; his school of calligraphy lasted until Baghdad fell to the Mongols more than two centuries after his death

Attribute, description, appearance, and adorment. A religious literary genre, describes the prophet.

People would copy parts of it and carry them around as amulets. Born from transmitted by hadith, detailed descriptions fiven by ali.

There were also large works, hung on wall, no pictoral image, but lots of color and decoration, beautiful. very balance composition,  sections called head, belly, belt, and skirt. Importance of physical presence, confidence in words. Written word not just content but also image. looking, not reading, confers benefit. meant to inspire an immaterial image of the prophet. Aniconism, belief in vision.

 Image of the Perfect Man

This Anonymous-Indian (16/17th cent.) artwork

This is the sufi approach. the throne verse, shows man, small, carried by the glorious word of God. The symbol of the horse is very common in Mughal art. The text was the starting point, the horse the result. THe viewer must try to deconstruct the horse, and try to figure it out. here the form mediates the meaning of the words. Images, for the sufis, were able to be used by an able imagination to look beyond the material.

Materia Medica of Dioscorides

Mosul School

A translation to arabic of greek text. the frontispiece an image of the author in arav dress. A portrait ofa real person, uses a holo, a tradition from sassanian and Christian sources here shamelessly reapropriated. Byzantine and western art the prototype, much more complex drapery a use of chiaroscuro, shading, modeling.

 Kalila wa Dimna, 1200

A collection of animal fabels from the Indian tradtion. Satyrical messages. No attempt at visual illusionism, a member of the early Baghdad style, not a serious attempt at proportions, some space through layering of forms but very limited. very legible, but not carrying much depth of information.