Islamic Art

Islamic Art Revision

Introduction
Islamic civilization is based upon a monotheist religion
The expansion of this culture led to the creation of Muslim civilization
In Spain they created Al-Andalus

Characteristics
Iconoclast art: it is forbidden to depict their God’s image
Stylised: it is ant naturalistic and full of geometry
Mutability: show that things are ephemeral, using poor materials and repetitions to create light effects
Decorative:
Vegetal ( Ataurique )
Geometric (lace)
Arabesc (flowers and calligraphy)

Architectonic Typology
The main buildings of Islamic architecture are:
Religious:
Mosque
Madrasa
Mausoleum
Civil:
Palace
Fortress
Engineering works
Carevanserai

Architecture: Characteristics
It is a synthesis of:
Byzantium
Copte
Christian
Buildings are not high, horizontality is underlined
The main building is the mosque
Materials are poor in general: brick, tiles, wax
Shapes tend to be cubic
Hemispheric domes
High towers ( minaret )

Supports:
Column and pillar
Slim and stylised
Reused capitals
Cimacio over the capital
Covers: great variety:
Flat covers
Vaults and domes:
Groin vaults
Pierced
Crafted
Muqarna

Arches:
Types:
Horse-shoe
Polylobulate
Pointed horse-shoe
Combination of colours
Very decorative
Walls covered with tiles

Mosque
It is the centre of social life
It consists of a squared area covered by a dome
It is organised around a courtyard
In one side there is a tower to call for the pray: minaret
The main wall is directed to Mecca
Its origin is the Mahomet’s house in Medina

Mosque
Structure:
Courtyard or Shan, uncovered
Qibla: wall directed to Mecca
Mirhab: niche open in the quibla and holiest place of the mosque
Maqsura: area in front of the Mirhab reserved for the caliph
Mimbar or pulpit
Haram or pray rooms
Minaret: tower to call for the pray

Sahn Qibla Mihrab Maqsura Minbar Haram Minaret

Mosque
Typology:
With hypostyle room
With central plan covered with
a dome
With iwans or building on the sides
(Iran)

Madrasa
Building which functions as a teaching institution primarily of Islamic sciences
They are linked to a mosque
Inside there were
Classrooms
Students’ rooms

Mausoleum
Tombs of important people.
There were big constructions

Palace
They were royal residences
They consisted of a lot of rooms
Gardens, courtyards and fountains were common.

Fortress
These buildings were prepared for defence
They were surrounded by walls and built in high places, easy to defend.

Caravanserai
Roadside building that provides shelter to travellers and their animals
They were located in the middle of caravan routes
They had a first floor with
a courtyard and spaces
for animals and products
The top floor was for travellers.

Bridges
It was common the use of ogee arches
Sometimes they are covered.

Other Buildings Observatory Bazaar Bath houses

Islamic Art in Spain
Three periods can be distinguished:
Califal
Almohade
Nazari

Islamic Art in Spain Cordoba’s mosque is the most important work of the Califal style. Its construction began in 8th century and it was enlarge until 833.

Islamic Art in Spain The present building is the product of the fusion of the building iniciated by Abderraman I on the space formerly occupied by a christian church, whose constructive materials were reused in the new building. After that it was enlarged by Abderraman II and Almansur.

Islamic Art in Spain Cordoba’s mosque structure Mihrab Qibla Sabil or fountain Sahu or courtyard Minaret

Islamic Art in Spain The outside is similar to a fortress, with walls ending in crenelations and reforced by butresses. Limestome pieces are combined to underline the aspect of fortress.

The internal space gives a uniformity impression due to the identical naves.
It is a non-differenced
space where
horizontality is
dominant.

Columns have shaft without lines
Capitals are corinthian but very simplified
Over them appears the cimacio to make them higher
Arches combine two colours
There are horse-shoe arches in the first line and high semicircular arches on the second line.

Islamic Art in Spain Two coloured voissoirs Semicircular arches on the second line Horse-shoe arches over the columns, both of them sustained by the supports Two supports one over the other with a pilar elevated

The most luxurious part is the mihrab
The interior is covered in wax
Every type of decoration is used.

The mihrab is covered by a nerved dome
It is built on an octagonal basis
The nerves are not crossed in the centre, leaving an open space, it is a gallonate dome
It is a symbol of divine wisdom

The maqsura is an space in front of the mihrab that was reserved for the caliph
It was covered by four nerved domes, the same as in the mihrab.
It was limited by polylobulate arches, aligned in two one over the other.
Over there they are horse-shoe arches with small decorative columns.

Madinat al Zahra

Aljaferia palace was built during the Taifa time (11th century)
It is defensive.

During the Almohad invasion towers were frequent.
They have an obvious defensive character.

The buildings have different sections
All of them are quite closed on the basis, to have more windows in higher positions
They can have crenelations.

The last period of Islamic Art in Spain is the Nazari.
The main building is the Alhambra palace, in Grenade
It is a big complex built in the 14th century.

Different parts were added along History
The original nucleus it the Comares courtyard
Other important parts are Arrayans and Lions’ courtyards.

The alcazaba is the defensive part
In this area stone is dominant in the walls
The rest of the construction is made of brick.

The centre of the building is the Comares palace, to which the main rooms open
This area is built around the Arrayans courtyard
The inside is delicately decorated.

Nazari columns are made in white marble
They are crowned by different kind of capitals
They are characterised by being delicate and fragile.

Materials are poor
Brick is covered with wax
Marble is reserved for columns and floors
Wood is used in some decorations and mainly in the ceilings
The effect is of richness and sumptuous

Nature is essential
Everything is though to delight the senses:
The endless noise of water in the fountains
The gardens that can be seen from the windows
When water is calmed it acts as a mirror, duplicating architectures.

The Lions’ Courtyard is surrounded by elegant columns
It is the space between the external light and the internal shade and freshness
It symbolised paradise with the zodiacal lions and the four rivers that fertilize the world

Some stances are covered by muqarna domes (The Two Sisters’ room)
This vault symbolises the cosmos, moving around and full of divine light
It suggest the shape of a star.

Decoration is sumptuous and delicate
It uses atauriqe, epigraphy, lace and sebka or a net of rhombus made of mixed lobulate arches combined.
Materials are characterised by
Colour
Light reflection

Muqarnas appear in arches
They look to be elegant curtains
It imitates lace work.
Muqarnas also decorate roofs, mainly vaults.

In ceilings flat cover dominates
Some rooms are covered by fully decorated domes
In the rest of the cases wood dominate.

There are summer palaces, as El Partal
As important as the palace itself is the garden and the
pound in front
The building is simple, with great arches flanked by alfiz.

The Generalife repeats the scheme of other palaces in Alhambra
Water and shade were essential elements to maintain a fresh atmosphere

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Islamic Art

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