![]() – Rachida El Diwani, Professor of Comparative Literature, Alexandria University in Egypt The arabesque is the “epitome of Islamic art.” Arabesques Image via Wikimedia Commons | Turkish tile with an arabesque design from the second half of the 16th century Image via Wikimedia Commons | This vault in the Nasir-ol-Molk Mosque in Shiraz, Iran is an exquisite example of the use of ceramic tile with geometric patterns in Islamic architecture. Islamic geometric tile designs aren’t restricted to these four shapes it’s the repetition, combination, and arrangement of shapes that brings patterns to life in Islamic design. Stars (or triangles and squares arranged in a circle).Four basic shapes make up most Islamic tile designs: The geometric patterns in Islamic tile consist of simple shapes that are combined, interlaced, duplicated, and laid out in complex designs. Dabbour explains that Islamic geometric patterns draw heavily from mathematics and emphasize the importance of unity and order, as evidenced by God’s creation of the universe. In his article “ Geometric proportions: The underlying structure of design process for Islamic geometric patterns,” Loai M. Islamic artists borrowed key elements of geometric patterns from the Greeks, Romans, and Sasanians, and then developed them into what would later become quintessentially Islamic designs. Geometric patterns are one of the most distinguishing features of Islamic tile and Islamic art as a whole according to the Met Museum, but they didn’t originate in Islamic culture. ![]() on Flickr | A geometric tile pattern from the mosque at the Mausoleum of Zaouia Moulay Idriss in Morocco As a result, many Islamic decorations feature stylized motifs and either interlacing patterns (such as geometric designs or arabesques) or calligraphy - or a combination. This aniconism forced Muslims to find different designs as a means for self-expression. Islam holds that the ability to create living forms is unique to God, who is called “musawwir” or “maker of forms” in the Qur’an. The Met Museum explains that Islamic art is defined by the opposition to the depiction of human and animal forms. Today, decorative tiles are a tradition in virtually all Islamic countries, and the impact of Islamic tile is evident in its continued use in modern western applications. Most Islamic countries were using tile to decorate important buildings such as mosques, holy shrines, palaces, graves, and religious colleges by the ninth century. One of these characteristics is the preference for decorating all surfaces, especially with tile. Islam binds culturally and ethnically diverse groups of people, and its art follows suit, featuring intrinsically unifying characteristics. Various Islamic empires existed for nearly 1,300 years, until the Ottoman Empire, the last of the Islamic empires, was dissolved at the end of World War I.įor a culture and religion that spread over so many centuries, areas, and empires, the unique identity of Islamic art is truly remarkable. ![]() In the centuries that followed, Islam spread elsewhere in the Middle East and then on to Asia, North Africa, and Southern Spain. The Prophet Muhammad revealed the religion of Islam on the Arabian Peninsula in the early seventh century. Eastland-Fairfield Career and Technical Schools.Facebook page opens in new window Twitter page opens in new window Instagram page opens in new window Pinterest page opens in new window
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