5 min ART presentation

Midterm review

Virtual Exhibtion “Al-Fann”

• https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pSQ8ZDf6cU185R8V6fO_767q5ARG aIln/view

Lecture 2 Dome of the Rock, Abd Al-Malik with a dated inscription(72AH/692 CE)

Dome of the Rock: close-up of mosaics "There is no God but God; Muhammad is his Prophet. Jesus is also his Prophet, but God has no son; He neither Begets nor is Begotten"

Coin of Abd Al- Malik https://britishmuseum.withgoogle.com/object/gold-coin-of-abd-al-malik

Great Mosque of Damascus (91-97 AH/ 709-715 CE) Initially it was a church that the Muslims shared after the conquest of Damascus in 661 CE. Walid b. Abdul Malik (r.705-15) converted it to a mosque, and requested for Byzantine workers to decorate it. (Grabar 2005, p.24)

Great Mosque of Damascus Site of Roman temple , and Byzantine church. This is a close up of the mosaics in the Western portico.

Samarra is north of Baghdad It is important as it is on the river Tigris

It becomes the capital of the Abbasids under al-Mutasim (r.833-42 CE)

“surra man ra’ā (‘he who sees it is delighted’) and known as a resort area.” Grove Art online

Great Mosque of Samarra New type of congregational mosque built by al-Mutawakkil (r.847-61 CE)

Largest mosque known in the Islamic lands

Samarra stucco wall (photo taken 1911 Herzfeld) stucco wall (Berlin Museum of Art)

Ibn Tulun Mosque (265 AH/879 CE) Inspired by Samarra

Façade looking into prayer hall and Samarra style

Epigraphic frieze from Ibn Tulun mosque (pinewood)- the full epigraphic program would have been 2km set above the interior arcade.

Al-Baqara 2:133 (Byzantine and Islam, p.261,

https://www.davidmus.dk/files/2/a/142/7.1-1-2002-Traefrisen-fra-Ibn-Tulun.jpg)

Hijazi Quran University of Cambridge (MS Add.1125) 1r Quran Anfal:10-72 Slanted script (ma’il), vertical parchment We do not know what script the Quran as revealed to Muhmmad (PBUH) was written in (N. Abbott)

We do know it was written on:”stones, wood, bark, leaves, shoulder blades, rags.: (N. Abbott)

Most likely leather, parchment (“ skin of sheep, goats, and calves”), papyrus was not available to the Prophet Muhammad in large quantities. (Baker 2007, p.15)

“The codex-mushaf in Arabic… was originally a collection of sheets of parchment placed between two boards.” (Baker 2007, p.16) Important words related to calligraphy: Qirtas: papyrus Kaghid: paper and papyrus

Ibn al- Bawwab (d.1022) scribe and librarian under the Abbasids (Tabbaa 2001) He made the script clearer and more

legible. This manuscript is signed by Ali ibn Hilal al- Bawwab (391 AH/1000-1001). Today it is in the Chester Beatty Library in Dublin.

The script he used was naskh for the text and thuluth for the headings. There is full vocalization

The illumination for the sura headings

Under the last Abbasid caliph Yaqut Al- Mustasimi (d.1298) The other proportioned scripts are developed known as a the six pens (thuluth, naskh, muḥaqqaq, rayḥān, tawqī‛ and riqā‛)

Blue Quran (9-10th century) and Byzantine Gospels on purple vellum (500-600 CE) Quran is written horizontally blue parchment with gold ink

Byzantine Gospels is purple vellum with gold ink

Rock crystal Rock crystal ewer inscribed with Al-Aziz (r.975-996 CE)

Rock crystal crescent shaped ornament that is inscribed with the name of al-Zahir (r.1021-1036 CE)

Coronation robe of Roger II- made in Palermo 1133-4 CE https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/art-islam/islamic-art-medieval/v/coronation-mantle-new

Samanid pottery 10th century (Nishapur) angular script that emulated Abbasid ceramics

A rare example with sayings from the Prophet (PBUH) and epigram from his nephew Ali in red

"Planning before work protects you from regret; prosperity and peace"

Kashan lustre: “a miniature style of painting developed in Kashan by 575 AH /1179-80” Sheila Blair

Bottle with a poetic inscription dated Muharram 575 AH/June 1179 CE” (BM online)

Bowl with seated musicians with knotted Kufic and naskh script

Plate with male and female figure from the David collection, signed and dated by Abu Zayd Jumada II 600 AH/ Feb-March 1204 CE

Tiraz (embroidery)- this example is ca. 991–1031 CE Iraq. Linen embroidered in silk. The Arabic inscription reads: "Bismillah. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds, and a good end to those who fear God. And God bless Muhammad the seal of the Prophets, and all his family, the good, the excellent. Blessing from God and glory to the Caliph, the servant of God, Abu'l-Abbas Ahmad, al-Qadir billah, Commander of the Faithful, may God glorify him and [...]"

Ivory pyxis made for the al-Mughira in 968 CE (son of Abd Al-Rahman III) Prince holds the bottle and a flower in his hand Inscription is an angular Kufic is a blessing to al-Mughira.

Wade cup known for its animated script , brass inlaid with silver, Seljuq Iran 1200-1221 CE The animated inscription reads: "Glory, and success, and government, and bliss, and soundness, and peace of mind, and mercy, and well-being, good health, and duration, and increase, and satisfaction, and care, and continuance to its owner."

Earliest surviving illustrated science book al-Sufi’s Book of Fixed Stars dated 400 AH/1009-10 CE. (Oxford)

How does the caption suit the image? (O’Kane)

Dioscordes wrote his treatise in 1st century CE on 500 materials used for medicine. It is translated into Arabic by Hunayn ibn Ishaq. There are two versions one based on the function of the plant, the other in alphabetical order.

(Savage-Smith, 1997)

Dioscordes Kitab al-Hasha’ish (‘Book of Herbs’), 1240 CE (Oxford)

Dioscordes, De Materia Medica manuscript dated 626 AH/ 1229 CE (TSM)

De Materia Medica: mixing of medicine dated 621 AH/ 1224 CE (MMA)

Maqamat al-Hariri (d.1122 CE). This manuscript is copied and illustrated by al-Wasiti dated 7 Ramadan 634 AH / 4 May , 1237 CE(BN Paris)

How would you describe this image?

What are the purposes of these images? (Roxburgh 2013) What does this manuscript tell us about Arabic literature that it is illustrated?

There are 50 maqamas The importance of this text is for its oral dimension and “literary performance”

(Alain George 2012)

“Al-Harith meets Abu Zayd”-2nd maqama In a library in Basra- 2nd Maqama continued

“Horsemen waiting to participate in a parade- 7th maqama”

“Pilgrim caravan- 31st maqama” Abu Zayd’s behaviour

“This beautiful scroll attests that Maymunah, daughter of Muhammad ibn 'Abd Allah al-Zarli, made the pilgrimage to Mecca and visited the tomb of the Prophet Muhammad in 1432-3 (836 in the Islamic calendar).”

http://www.bl.uk/collection-items/hajj-pilgrimage-certificate#sthash.GpLQHT9o.dpuf “

The intention of this course is to critically think about the term “Islamic art and architecture.” A student should develop an understanding of the “Islamic city” and the material culture (manuscripts, ceramics, glass, textiles, and other objects) that surround the history of the Islamic dynasties from the Umayyads to Abbasids, Fatimids and the Seljuqs.

• There are two parts to the MIDTERM WEEK • Part 1- Watch the “Al-Fann” virtual exhibition- there are 28 objects

that I talk about. Choose 4 objects from the exhibition and write about them and how they compliment or expand our knowledge of the class- Due Wednesday April 21-11:59pm- out of 40 points/10 point for each object you choose. • Part 2 on Monday APRIL 19 during class time- choose 2 objects/forms

of architecture from week 1-7 that are highlighted in this power point and come to class prepared to talk about it- 5 points for each object you choose-total points 10. They must be objects you did not write about in your three response papers.