Islamic Art

Islamic Art questions and answers

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Q: Islamic art?
why is islamic art so distinctive? how and why is Islamic art so different from the art of other reigious traditions? how are iportant islamic belief and practces reflected in various art forms? Can someone help me plz its for my paper and im not finding any info on the internet

A: perhaps Google is not everyone's friend ;) and we have our lazy dayZzZzzzz :P http://www.lacma.org/islamic_art/intro.htm http://www.islamicart.com/ http://witcombe.sbc.edu/ARTHislamic.html http://www.islamicarchitecture.org/art/ http://www.salaam.co.uk/themeofthemonth/march02_index.php?l=3 http://www.islamic-art.org/ and some special episodes :P http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGp29FIirI8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGdcxdSg_K0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLyDQZZNK3I have fun...it sure was interesting :)

Q: What is the characteristic of Islamic Art?
I don't know what is the characteristic of Islamic Art

A: A lot of Islamic art tends to be intricate floral or geometric patterns. Calligraphy of Qur'an verses is popular throughout much of the Muslim world, and their architecture is superb. The architecture is characterized by large, rounded domes, rounded arches, muqarnas, and decorative patterns. You can find more information (as well as some gorgeous examples) here: http://www.broug.com/

Q: to what extent did the Islamic religion affect art and architecture?
what is Islamic Art?

A: The onion dome is my favorite.

Q: Why does islamic art use geomatric patterns ?
please help the question is in the questions lol Why does islamic art use geomatric patterns ?

A: Islamic art uses geometric patterns because in Islam it is forbidden to makes images of animals or humans. I hope that I've phrased this correctly.

Q: what can you tell me about islamic art?
Im a little confused in my intro to islamic art class in college.. we are talking about a variety of time periods (byzantine, sassanian, etc) and i do not have a lot of background in this area i have tried googeling/ wikipedia information, but it is difficult to put together so much information, so maybe you can help me out with this giant puzzle i have to piece together.. any info is much appreciated!

A: Yes, this is a huge subject. But take it slowly. First look up the origins and history of Islamic art. Dont laugh but the kids version gives a good brief outline at http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/islam/art/index.htm Then note down what different Islamic periods and countries have in common in way of ornament, architecture etc. Here are some good sites: The Sassanians (i.e. Persians) (ehttp://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/sass/hd_sass.htm Byzantine art under Islam - http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/bzis/hd_bzis.htm Overview http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_art#Overview Make a chart of dates of different eras. And one for important artworks in different countries. Good luck .

Q: How do I get some Islamic art valued?
My boyfriend's been offered the chance to buy some apparently rare Islamic statuettes and a crumbling, beautiful Koran. How do we get them valued?

A: Take them to a reputable museum they have experts in appraising ancient art, also they will be able to tell you if they are real or fake artifacts, just in case of a potential fraud ..

Q: Where can I find islamic art / Paintings to buy? I want to buy a large canvas print?
are there any websites or specific places to check where to buy big canvas prints (about 3.5m by 2m) what are the best sites to search for islamic paintings posters etc?

A: Please look Islamic Art at Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_hg?url=node%3D1063498%2C3736081&field-keywords=islamic&x=21&y=22&tag=discount.save-20 Hope this help. Good Luck.

Q: How was the caliphate organized? What were the regional features of Islamic art & architecture?
And what are the differences between Sunnis and Shi' ites?

A: Islamic art revolved around the idea that animals and people cannot be depicted. Therefore, they resorted to caligraphy and geometric designs. As for the Caliphate, the first one in Muslim history, Abu Bakr, the Prophet's best friend, was elected by the approval of the majority of the people. Just before Abu Bakr's death, he asked his advisors if Umar bin AlKhattab was suitable for the job. They agreed, so Umar was made Caliph and the people accepted his rule. When Umar was stabbed, he knew he was dying and nominated 6 people to be Caliph. He told them to decide amongst themselves who should be next. Those six chose Uthman bin Affan (Actually, Uthman got three votes, Ali bin Abi Talib got two votes, and the last one said he didn't want to vote). uthman became Caliph and none opposed his rule. When Uthman died, he did not give any indication of who was next. This began a series of wars between Ali (a Hashimite) and Muawiyah (an Ummayad) which ultimately ended with the Ummayads taking over. After that, the Caliphs began nominating members of their own families to avoid the blood shed that took place after Uthman was killed. This continued until the first World War, when the Caliphate was exterminated. So if a person wants to become Caliph now, they would have to be elected by the majority, same as Abu Bakr. Future caliphs can be given the caliphate by any of the other methods. Sunni Muslims beleive that anyone can be ruler of the Muslims regardless of race or background. The most important thing is piety. Shiite Muslims believe that the ruler of the Muslims must be a descendent of Ali, the Prophets cousin.

Q: What's the central difference between Byzantine Art and Islamic Art?
And what's the reason for this difference?

A: There's many differences between Byzantine and Islamic Art but after the Islamic Golden Age, Islam stopped depicting the Prophet Mohammed in murals, paintings, book etc. The Byzantine Empire had this Iconoclast idea for awhile before it stopped doing so during the reign of Empress Irene I believe...

Q: How is Ottoman art similar to earlier Islamic art?
A They are realistic. B They avoid depicting animals and humans. C They have no religious meaning. D They use the idealized human form.

A: The correct answer to your question is B. Islamic law forbids depicting humans.

Q: How did Greco-Roman art influence Islamic and Chrisitan art?
If you know how, please give a couple examples that I can use to understand better. I suppose another way of putting it is how are classical elements incorporated into Islamic and Christian arts? This would be circa 800AD to maybe 1300AD... Thanks.

A: the best example I can think of is the pictures of Jesus you see painted, obviously people of middle eastern countries are not exactly white yet you see Jesus painted as a white man, basically it just depends on who is doing the painting and what type of environment and country they are from.

Q: How did religion affect Islamic art?
It led to more geometric art. It led to realistic paintings. It made art less valuable. It prevented them from painting.

A: Islam forbids making images and this is taken to include art. There can be no depiction of God in any form. Therefore the art of calligraphy became important and emphasizes the value of the written word of God in the Qur'an. The earliest form was the Arabic Kufic scripts. In weaving and architecture it also became forbidden to include the shape of a cross (as in the cross of Christ) so you will not find that geometric shape in carpets and buildings etc. There were so many restrictions placed on artists that they had to limit themselves and although their art is exquisite, it has not been allowed to develop freely but is completely controlled by the law.

Q: What ate the top American universities that teach Islamic Art and Architecture?
Are Princeton and Yale among them? Please explain...

A: As subject matters, these sound a little too specialized for an undergraduate program at any school. They sound more like something in which you might get a doctorate. At the undergraduate level, you would get a degree in Art History, or in Architecture, and while there might be a specific class in Islamic Art or Islamic Architecture available, the depth of an undergraduate program is such that you probably would not take more than one class in that area and would take more general courses for the most part. If you were working on a doctorate, you might become a specialist in the Islamic variations of these fields.

Q: What are some charactersitics of early or later Islamic art?
ive been searching the internet and can't really find anything...

A: Hi! Read this: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AqaBy3zU.42FhO7N9GHASpYjzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20070814071326AAC3XRt

Q: how is islamic art heritage represented in mosque architecture and arabic calligraphy?


A: The language of the question is a little circular. Mosque architecture and Arabic calligraphy ARE Islamic art heritage. They are two of the key artistic endeavours which have resulted from and demonstrate the core themes of the religion of Islam. "How" gives the facetious answer "it is because they are". So it is better to first rephrase the question as: what is the heritage that can be seen represented by them? What follows is the structure of an essay around which you can and as is needed the level of information required. Details are easily research with Wikipedia etc (see below). The first step is to understand where they evolved from, why they evolved and what evolution they have undergone once formed. In summary: 1) Roots - Cultural base in regional design and rituals of the Arabs. 2) Purpose - Facilitating and accentuating the worship of Allah through the Koran. 3) Development - Particular styles and differences resulting from philosophical, cultural and geographic difference. Mosque Arquitecture ----- 1) The evolution of the the mosque's physical form demostrate ties to Judaic descriptions of paradise and of the first temple of Solomon, Roman technical archiviements of the arch and dome and arabic tent and courtyard dwellings. The evolution of the internal layout is derived from the original layout of the spaces used by Mohammed and his followers for worship. 2) The westernised name mosques covers both private places of worship (masjid) and those which aslo serve as community centres (masjid jāmiʕ). The squared based domed mosque is now the most common external form. Often with a tower in each corner from which to call the faithful to prayer ('minaret') the building can appear omnidirectional yet orientation is very important. Inside the direction of prayer ('qibla'), nowadays towards the Kaaba in Mecca, provides a communal focus for religious acts. This direction is indicated with a principal 'qibla' wall marked by a niche ('mihrab'). The third key internal element is a pulpit (' minbar') to allow the leader of the prayer to deliver sermons. 3) The layout and decoration of the mosque give the local flavour to these universal features. Early flat roofed many-columned (hypostyle) Arab-plan mosques were overtaken with the expansion required under the Ottoman empire well served by its domed Byzantine architecture. In Iran Iwan mosques are distinct with large open space courtyards well suited for a milder climate. Summary http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/art/architecture.shtml Extensive Details http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosque Good Examples http://www.helium.com/items/902744-greatest-forms-islam-architecture Detailed Essay http://www.muslimheritage.com/features/default.cfm?ArticleID=338 I'll try and edit this post later to deal with Caligraphy but it is very similar in treatment. All the best, Mike