Art from the Islamic Empire covers a wide range of forms and style, reflecting the large geographical area and wide variety of cultures included in the empire. We discuss some of the most common aspects of Islamic Art below.
Arabesque Example by Jebulon. 2012.
Design
Much of Islamic art has a distinct design. Rather than use animals or people in their design, Islamic artists often used a variety of intricate designs and patterns. This practice was a direct influence of the Islamic religion on the art. Artists felt that using figures of animals and people could result in idolatry (the worship of idols) instead of Allah.
One pattern commonly used by Islamic artists is called "arabesque." Arabesque uses intricate patterns of leaves and flowers. These patterns were common in wooden carvings, stone reliefs on buildings, textiles, and in decorated books.
Islamic artists also used geometric patterns called "tessellation" and artistic writing called "calligraphy" in their designs.
A Persian Carpet by Unknown. Mid-16th century.
Ceramics
One major form of Islamic art was ceramics. Early Islamic artists created a wide variety of ceramic glazes and styles. Some were influenced by Chinese porcelain, while others created their own unique ways of glazing pottery. In addition to beautiful pieces of pottery, Islamic artists created great pieces of art using ceramic tiles. These tiles would sometimes be used to cover walls or the entire outside of religious buildings with bright patterns and designs.
Carpets
One of the most practical forms of Islamic art was the carpet. While carpets were used in everyday life as floor coverings, prayer mats, wall hangings, and cushions, they were also beautiful pieces of art. These carpets often used colorful repeating geometric designs or arabesque patterns. They became a major export from the Arab world to other areas of the world including Europe.
Carvings
Elaborate carvings were another popular form of art. They incorporated the same arabesque and geometric patterns used in other forms of Islamic art. Carvings were often made using wood, but could also be made from ivory, stone, or plaster. They were used to decorate important buildings, like mosques, including the ceiling, doors, and wall panels. Stands for the Islamic holy book, the Quran, were often pieces of art carved from wood.
Painting
The most popular type of painting in the early Islamic world was "miniature painting." These paintings were small and were used in fancy books called "illuminated manuscripts." These paintings were different from other pieces of Islamic art in that they often contained pictures of animals and people. This was because they depicted scenes from stories in the book.
A Miniature Painting
Sleeping Rustam by Sultan Muhammad. 1515-1522.
Calligraphy
Calligraphy, or decorative writing, was very popular in Islamic art. Often designs were created using calligraphy. In many cases, the writing would be a religious saying or verse from the Quran. Calligraphy would often be combined with geometric and arabesque patterns.
Interesting Facts about Art in the Islamic Golden Age
Weapons used in battle were sometimes decorated with patterns or calligraphy.
Islamic artists also worked with glass and metal.
The style and patterns used in Islamic art spread throughout much of the world as the Islamic empire expanded.
The minbar in a mosque (a special place for the prayer leader) is often decorated with elaborate carvings.
