Essay About Islamic Art And Strong Aesthetic Appeal

Islamic Art
Essay title: Islamic Art
Islamic Art
Islamic art is perhaps the most accessible manifestation of a complex
civilization that often seems enigmatic to outsiders. Through its brilliant use of
color and its superb balance between design and form, Islamic art creates an
immediate visual impact. Its strong aesthetic appeal transcends distances in time
and space, as well as differences in language, culture, and creed. Islamic art not
only invites a closer look but also beckons the viewer to learn more.
“The term Islamic art may be confusing to some. It not only describes the
art created specifically in the service of , but it also characterizes secular art
produced in lands under Islamic rule or influence, whatever the artists or the
patrons religious affiliation. The term suggests an art unified in style and
purpose, and indeed there are certain common features that distinguish the arts
of all Islamic lands.”1 Although this is a highly dynamic art, which is often marked
by strong regional characteristics as well as by significant influences from other
cultures, it retains an overall coherence that is remarkable given its vast
geographic and temporal boundaries. Of paramount concern to the development
of this singular art is Islam itself, which fostered the creation of a distinctive visual
culture with its own unique artistic language. Calligraphy is the most important
and pervasive element in Islamic art. It has always been considered the noblest
form of art because of its association with the , the Muslim holy book, which is
written in Arabic. This preoccupation with beautiful writing extended to all arts
including secular manuscripts; inscriptions on palaces; and those applied to
metalwork, pottery, stone, glass, wood, and textiles and to non-Arabic-speaking
peoples within the Islamic commonwealth whose languages such as Persian,
Turkish, and Urdu were written in the Arabic script. Another characteristic of
Islamic art is a preference for covering surfaces with patterns composed of
geometric or vegetal elements. Complex geometric designs, as well as intricate
patterns of vegetal ornament (such as the arabesque), create the impression of
unending repetition, which is believed by some to be an inducement to
contemplate the infinite nature of God. This type of nonrepresentational
decoration may have been developed to such a high degree in Islamic art
because of the absence of figural imagery, at least within a religious context.
Contrary to a popular misconception, however, figural imagery is an
important aspect of Islamic art. Such images occur primarily in secular and
especially courtly arts and appear in a wide variety of media and in most periods
and places in which Islam flourished. It is important to note, nevertheless, that
representational imagery is almost invariably restricted to a private context.
Figurative art is excluded from the decoration of religious monuments. This
absence may be attributed to an Islamic antipathy toward anything that might be
mistaken for idols or idolatry, which are explicitly forbidden by the Quran. In
Islamic cultures the so-called decorative arts provide the primary means of
artistic expression, in contrast to Western art, in which painting and sculpture are
preeminent. Illuminated manuscripts, woven textiles and carpets, inlaid
metalwork,