Islamic Art Answers

The mosque pictured is the Great Mosque of Córdoba (Mezquita) in Spain. Originally built in the late 8th century by Abd al-Rahman I as the first major mosque on the Iberian Peninsula after the Muslim conquest, it symbolized the establishment of Umayyad power in al-Andalus. Its artistic elements include a vast hypostyle prayer hall supported by marble columns and distinctive double-tiered horseshoe arches with alternating red-and-white voussoirs, creating a striking visual rhythm.

Picture 1: Egyptian Picture 2: Greek Picture 3: Islamic Picture 1 and 2 both show people and animals who are exhibiting respect and honor to the gods of each culture. Picture 3, from the Islamic culture, has no creatures or animals, because they did not believe that was a proper way to honor their god. They employed aniconism instead. There is also bright colors used in Picture 3. The three pictures are all made out of different materials and are different forms of art.

Islamic art employed Aniconism, the avoidance of figural imagery. It used complex, geometric designs. It was common to see scrolling vines, which are also known as arabesques. Islamic art was always covered in surface decoration, including the use of line, color, and pattern.

Islamic portable arts were examples of Islamic art that could be moved easily, either because of size or type. They were highly sought items were considered a luxury and brought status to their patrons both from Islam and Europe. They were often composed of silk and gold, and employed calligraphy on the panels. They could also include scrolls, interlacing designs, and figures enliven calligraphic inscriptions.

This is the Mosque of Isfahan. Throughout the mosque, Notice the beautiful, bright colors, geometric designs. On top of the dome, you can see examples of arabesques. Below the dome, on the cylinder piece, there is Islamic writing, probably religious. The facade (image on the right) also includes examples of arabesques and Islamic writing, or calligraphy. It is made of brilliant blue glazed tiles that wrap around the entire courtyard.