About the Exhibition

Home , Aquamanile, Fritware, Kiswah, Leonardo da Vinci, Mahal (palace), Sabiha Al Khemir

About the Exhibition Beauty and Belief: Crossing Bridges with the Arts of Islamic Culture is a journey through Islamic visual culture from the seventh century onward, including works by contemporary artists. It features over 250 objects from 41 lenders in the United States, Europe, and the Middle East—objects that would have been at home in royal palaces as well as in the everyday lives of common people. Some of the works of art have never been seen in the United States, and it is the ﬁrst time that all of these objects meet in one place.

After the exhibition concludes at BYU it will travel to three other venues: Indianapolis Museum of Art, November 2, 2012 – January 13, 2013 Newark Museum, February 13, 2013 – May 19, 2013 Portland Art Museum, June 15, 2013 – September 8, 2013

This exhibition is supported by a major grant from The Institute of Museum and Library Services, and grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional foundations and private donors who have generously contributed to Beauty and Belief include: Jack and Mary Lois Wheatley and the Wheatley family, John and Stephanie Sorensen, King and Diane Husein, Don Bailey and Leslie Stanford, the R. Harold Burton Foundation, the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation, Stephen A. and Martha Alice Sears West, the Laycock Center for Creative Collaboration in the Arts, the College of Fine Arts and Communications at Brigham Young University, the Semnani Family Foundation, the Lawrence T. and Janet T. Dee Foundation, William and Patricia Child, the Utah Office of Museum Services, Dr. Omar M. and Dr. Nancy S. Kader, and the many donors who have contributed to the ongoing operations of the Brigham Young University Museum of Art.

1 Gallery Themes* The Project Director Dr. Sabiha Al Khemir’s choice of themes in each of the galleries is key to understanding the message of the exhibition. The concepts of the three main sections—The Word, Figures and Figurines, and Pattern—are interconnected throughout the belief system of the Islamic world. The same aesthetic and cultural principles govern all three categories of Islamic art. In fact, they are often intertwined, with calligraphy taking figurative shape and figures becoming decorative patterns. Leading from one section to another in the galleries are “bridges,” highlighting objects that reveal the word, figures, and patterns in fascinating combinations.

Introduction

The Word

® The Word Omnipresent

® The Word in Architectural Space

® The Voice of the Object

Ã Healing and Protection

Ã Timeless Wisdom

Bridge from Calligraphy to Figurative

Figures and Figurines

® In the Fabric of Everyday Life

® The Entertaining Didactic

® Creatures of the Imagination

® The Mystical

Bridge from Figurative to Pattern

Pattern

® Timeless Garden

® Arabesque

® Geometry

® The Word

® A Rhythm of Repetition

® No Beginning No End

*The following material is derived largely from Dr. Al Khemir’s Beauty and Belief exhibition catalogue

2 The Islamic World: A Vast Expanse

“Beauty and Belief invites visitors to a world of a wondrous beauty that spills across the centuries in an expression from one of humanity’s great civilizations.” –Sabiha Al Khemir

The revelation of the Qur’an took place in Arabia starting in 610 CE. By 715 the map of the Muslim world spread west to Europe and east to Asia. The magnitude of the geographical scale of the Islamic world, spanning continents, reflects the rich diversity embraced by Islamic Culture.

Venice XINJIANG

Pisa Black Sea THRACE Caspian TRANSOXIANA CAUCASUS Sea Istanbul Tashkent Iznik Baku Toledo Bursa Ankara Sivas Erzurum Valencia Bukhara Samarkand CENTRAL Ushak Kayseri ANATOLIA Cordoba Palermo Tabrīz Diyarbakir ASIA Seville Konya Takht-i Suleyman Granada SICILY Mary Algiers Tunis Mosul Qazvin Damghan Aleppo MESOPOTAMIA Tehran Mashhad Balkh Kairouan Raqqa Tlemcen Samarra Rayy Varamin Nishapur Fez Herat Mediterranean Sea Beirut Baghdad Sultanabad Kashan Kabul Rabat Ghazni Tripoli Damascus Ardestan Peshawar Meknes MAGHREB KHORASAN Amman Kufa Isfahan Yazd Islamabad Marrakesh Jerusalem Basra Kerman Lahore SAHARA Cairo Jingdezhen Kuwait Shiraz New Delhi Agra Persian Medina Riyadh Gulf Karachi Gulf of Oman Muscat

Mecca ARABIA Red Sea Arabian Sea Timbuktu DECCAN Khartoum San’a Aden Gulf of Aden

Harar

Abuja

Kuala Lumpur Mogadishu

Jakarta

3 Timeline of Key Events in the Islamic World

691 The Dome of the Rock is built in Jerusalem, commemorating the location where Muhammad ascended to heaven. The structure shows strong Byzantine influence in plan and style, but the use of Arabic inscription marks a signicant shi. This monument becomes very important for Muslims.

630 1232–1492 Nasrid Dynasty 1501-1722 Safavid Dynasty Muhammad and 10,000 909–1171 Fatimid Dynasty Muslims take control of 785 Granada survives as the last Islamic city in Spain. Following The Safavid Dynasty becomes a dominant power through- 19th Century Mecca, making it the The Great Mosque at Cordoba is built in Spain From Tunisia, the Fatimids conquer Egypt in 969. Cairo the gradual fragmenting of Muslim presence by Christian out Persia, and Isfahan thrives as a center of architectural Many European countries occupy and colonize claims spiritual center of Islam and and becomes a crowning achievement of is established as a cultural capital in the Islamic world and rulers, it falls to Ferdinand and Isabella in 1492. opulence. in Africa, seizing control over national resources and key re-dedicating the Ka’bah to Islamic architecture. This mosque is known the Fatimid Dynasty oversees an empire that dominates ports. France maintains a heavy presence in Algeria, the worship of God. All for its vast interior polychrome arches. North Africa. Tunisia, Senegal, and Lebanon; Britain is involved in Muslims pray facing the Egypt, India, and Sudan; Italy invades Libya; and Spain direction of this cube- takes over parts of Morocco. c. 570 shaped building built by Muhammad the Prophet is born. Abraham, and are advised to Muhammad is a merchant by trade 715 1095 make a pilgrimage to this 1550-1558 known for his skills in diplomacy. The Great Mosque of Damascus The Crusades begin as a campaign by Christian holy site. The Suleymaniye Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, is is constructed, one of the ear- military powers to re-capture the holy sites in built by Sinan, the greatest architect of the liest examples of monumental Jerusalem. A series of crusades continues throughout 20th Century Ottoman Empire. The large domes, supported religious architecture in the the 12th and 13th centuries, exposing Westerners to Beginning with Egypt in 1922, several Middle Eastern 970 by half domes, are modeled aer Hagia Sophia, Islamic world. It employs a court the culture of the Middle East. Many commodities, countries gain independence and eject Western ruling The Al-Ashar Mosque and University 1237-1492 the great Byzantine church built by Emperor and hypostyle prayer hall, which including textiles and spices, ignite trade networks 1648 forces: Turkey (1923), Iraq (1932), Saudi Arabia (1932), c. 610 is built by the Fatimids in Cairo. It is one of The Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain is built Justinian in the 6th century. Lebanon (1943), Jordan (1946), Syria (1946), Libya (1951), become the standard for the oldest continuously run universities in between Europe and the Near East. by Nasrid rulers. The fortied palace is known for Mughal emperor Shah Jahan constructs the Muhammad begins receiving divine mosque architecture. Taj Mahal as a mauseoleum in memory of his wife Tunisia (1956), Kuwait (1961), Algeria (1962), and the revelation and preaches monotheism, the the world and is acclaimed for its its interior stucco, intricately detailed tilework, United Arab Emirates (1971). scholarship in Islamic law and Arabic and numerous gardens and fountains. Mumtaz Mahal. The striking white marble makes belief that there is only one God. These it a distinctive structure in the Islamic world. revelations comprise the Qur’an, the holy studies. book of scripture for Muslims.

600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000 661–750 Umayyad Dynasty 909–1171 Fatimid Dynasty 1232–1492 Nasrid Dynasty 1501-1722 Safavid Dynasty 711–1031 Umayyad Dynasty in Spain 1071-1194 Seljuks in Power 1250–1517 Mamluk Dynasty 1526–1858 Mughal Empire 750–1258 Abbasid Dynasty 1299-1922 Ottoman Empire 1206-1368 Mongol Empire 1370-1506 Timurid Dynasty

622 Following religious persecution, Muhammad 711–1031 Umayyad Dynasty in Spain 1071-1194 Seljuks in Power 1206-1368 Mongol Empire 1370-1506 Timurid Dynasty and his followers leave the 1526–1858 Mughal Empire A young Umayyad prince escapes the Abbasid massacre of the royal The Seljuks defeat Byzantine armies in Eastern In 1258, Genghis Khan leads Mongol invasions Of Turko-Mongolian origin; led by Timur (Tamerlane), city of Mecca to settle in family in Damascus. He travels across North Africa and re-establishes Turkey and maintain power in Iran and parts of into Iran and Iraq, destroying Baghdad, they take over the whole of Central Asia, Iran, The Mughal Empire rules the Indian subcontinent, resulting Medina. Muhammad the Umayyad Dynasty in Spain, bringing Islamic influence to the Anatolia through the year 1194. Islamic influence terminating lingering Abbasid power, and present day Afghanistan, parts of India, Mesopota- in flourishing art and architectural commissions from the gathers followers from Iberian Peninsula. extends westward due to Seljuk expansion into inaugurating cultural exchange with East Asia. mia and the Caucasus. Timur’s capital Samarkand royal court. Despite fluctuating conflicts and alliances with surrounding cities and territories formerly ruled by Christian forces. Mongol leader Kazan converts to Islam in 1295, flourishes under great patronage of arts and Hindu Rajput kingdoms, Mughal art reflects a merging of subsequently defeats making it the ocial religion of the Empire. architecture. Timur's son Shah Rukh (1405-47) native and Islamic artistic traditions. Meccan armies. makes Herat a great cultural center; it maintains 750–1258 Abbasid Dynasty its artistic brilliance under Husayn Bayqara (Babur) 1805-1848 who becomes the founder of the Mughal dynasty Muhammad Ali modernizes Egypt through 632 During the Islamic Golden Age of the Abbasid Dynasty, in India. industry, the military, and European education. Muhammad dies in Medina the political center shis from Damascus to Baghdad, The need for an independent state results in shortly aer completing his 1356 where intellectual scholarship and scientic rising opposition to Ottoman rule. nal pilgrimage to Mecca. investigation flourish. 1187 The Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Hasan 1299–1922 Ottoman Empire is built by the Mamluks in Cairo. It is notable Saladin re-conquers Jerusalem with Muslim forces, Ottoman Turks conquer Constantinople in 1453 from the last for its colossal size and spacious courtyard establishing the Ayyubid Sultanate (1171-1260), whose remaining vestiges of the Byzantine Empire and re-name it surrounded by iwans, or vaulted niches. This power extends to Egypt, Syria, and Iraq. A compromise Istanbul. By the mid-1500s the Ottomans control the Middle extensive complex also contains a mausoleum between Saladin and Richard the Lionheart of England East from central Europe to the Indian Ocean. Aer allying with 661–750 Umayyad Dynasty and four Sunni schools. results in granting Christian travelers access to select Germany and facing defeat during World War I, their empire Under the Umayyad Dynasty, the center of power shis from Arabia pilgrimage sites within Jerusalem. is dismantled. to Syria. Damascus is the capital, Arabic becomes the ocial language, and the Islamic world begins to unify. Umayyad expansion extends to North Africa and Spain in the west and to Central Asia and India in the east. 1250–1517 Mamluk Dynasty The Mamluk Dynasty begins with former military slaves overthrowing Ayyubid power in Egypt and Syria. The Mamluks bring Mongol expansion in the Middle East to a halt and expel the last of the lingering Crusaders who had settled along the Mediterranean Coast.

4 Timeline of Key Events in the Islamic World

5 Glossary Ka’bah A cube-shaped building in Mecca; the most sacred site in Allah Islam Word for God Kashkul al-Asma al-Husna A beggar’s bowl used by a dervish to collect alms The ninety-nine names of God are the specific attributes by which Muslims regard God and which are described in Kiswah the Qur’an. Textile covering the Ka’bah, with Qur’anic inscriptions embroidered in gold silk Arabesque A kind of ornament based on a stylized plant form of Kufic intertwining stems, leaves, and flowers that can be extended An angular Arabic script with clear vertical and horizontal ad infinitum lines, developed in the seventh century; it is named after the city of Kufa in Iraq, from which the style is believed to Aya have originated. Verse from the Qur’an Kuttab Barakah A school for teaching children the Qur’an The beneficent force from God that flows through the physical and spiritual spheres as prosperity, protection, Madrasa and happiness. Creations endowed with barakah, such as Any type of educational institution, secular or religious physical objects, places, and people, can transmit the flow of spiritual presence from God to other creations of God. Mecca Birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad and the location of the Batin/ al-batin Ka’bah The invisible, or underlying dimension Mihrab Buraq Prayer niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the qibla A mythical steed that transported the Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Jerusalem and back. This creature from the Mizan heavens is described as a white animal, half-mule, half- The Arabic word for balance; it refers to the metaphorical donkey, with wings on its sides. In some traditions it became pursuit of justice and harmony in all human endeavors. a steed with the head of a woman and the tail of a peacock. The term mizan, which appears in the Qur’an, has been interpreted as the concept by which God created nature Dervish in a balance. It is mankind’s responsibility to maintain A member of one of the Muslim ascetic orders, who this equilibrium through wise governance and sound renounces earthly goods and is known for his austerity personal conduct.

Dhahir/ al-dhahir Mosque The visible or apparent; the manifest A place of worship for followers of Islam

Dhikr Muqarnas Invocation for the remembrance of God, a form of prayer Developed in the tenth century, architectural ornamentation consisting of the constant repetition of a name or formula composed of tiers of niche-like elements resembling stalactites or honeycombs Hadith Collection of sayings and deeds attributed to the Prophet Naskh/Naskhi Muhammad The most commonly used Arabic cursive script developed in the tenth century, it means “copying” and is legible and Hajj clear. This small script has thin lines and round letter shapes Annual pilgrimage to Mecca that allow for faster copying of texts, mainly the Qur’an.

Hijra Qibla Migration of Muhammad and his followers from Mecca to Sacred direction of the Ka’bah in Mecca—the direction Medina in 622, marking the beginning of the Islamic calendar toward which a Muslim faces while praying

6 Qur’an Shi’a Islam Literally meaning “the recitation,” the Qur’an is the central Second largest denomination of Islam, the followers of religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim Shi’a Islam believe that leadership of the Ummah should be word of God dependent on direct lineage from Muhammad. Shi’a means “party of Ali.” Salat One of the Five Pillars of Islam, this practice of ritual prayer Tiraz has prescribed conditions, procedures, and times. Obligatory Fabric with woven, embroidered, or painted inscriptions, salat occurs five times each day according to the movement made as luxury textiles for the elite. They usually contained of the sun. the caliph’s name and titles, and sometimes the date and workshop of manufacture. The term is also used to designate Sawm the technique of tapestry making. Fasting, or abstaining from food, drink, sensuous pleasures, and any practices against Islamic law. Sawm is observed but Tughra not confined to the Islamic holy month of Ramadan and is A distinctive and intricately executed seal or monogram; a one of the Five Pillars of Islam. calligraphic emblem included in all official documents as a symbol of the sultan’s authority Shahadah The Muslim declaration of faith in Tawhid and the Ummah acceptance of Muhammad as God’s prophet, this Pillar of Muslim community Islamic faith reads: “la ilaha illallah, Muhammad rasulallah.” Zakat Sibha One of the Five Pillars of Islam, this practice involves giving a A string of prayer beads which is used by Muslims to keep portion of one’s wealth to charity (alms). track of counting in tasbeeh.

Simurgh A mythical flying creature, this figure can be found in all periods of Persian art and literature. Depicted as a winged animal in the shape of a gigantic bird, it is inherently benevolent and unambiguously female.

Sunni Islam The largest denomination of Islam, the Sunni followers believe that the leadership of the Ummah should be a position to which one is elected by the religious leaders of the community. Sunni refers to the sunnas, or traditions and interpretations of the Qur’an.

Sufism Inner, mystical dimension of Islam

Sura/Surat A chapter of the Qur’an

Tasbeeh A form of dhikr that involves repetitively chanting the praise of God

Tawaf Circumambulation of Muslims around the Ka’bah, one of the rituals of pilgrimage

Tawhid One of the fundamental concepts in Islam; belief in monotheism or the Oneness of God

7 The Journey What Makes Islamic Art Islamic?

As you embark upon your journey through this exhibition, keep in mind the following keys that will unlock the doors to discovery:

• The makers of Islamic art are essentially anonymous; their purpose in creating these objects is for the worship of God, an act of devotion, or a tool for asking forgiveness. Artists are essentially vehicles through which the creativity of God is made manifest.

• Just as the Ummah, or Muslim community, is unified not by geography or nationality but by faith and culture, so we see the objects of this exhibition reflecting a coherent visual language that reaches beyond the boundaries of geography and time. Despite the diversity of the Islamic world, certain artistic patterns seem to universally reverberate throughout the centuries of Islamic culture.

• The objects of the exhibition are made from a variety of substances, including earthenware, glass, paper, metal, ivory, wood, stone, and silk. Artists, however, did not think in terms of a hierarchy of materials according to their monetary value. In other words, earthenware was as precious as silk, and each were accorded equal dedication and devotion. Why? Because God loves beauty, and the act of transforming raw materials into something beautiful was an act of devotion whether simple or monumental.

• Islamic art does not subscribe to the notion of “art for art’s sake.” Many objects are meant to be used in everyday life as a reminder of cultural values and a declaration of faith. Although today these museum pieces are separated from their original functions and cultural contexts—they no longer carry food or water, etc.—they do carry forth the way in which their makers and owners viewed their religion and their world.

• Except for the objects created specifically for use in the mosque, most of these works are not considered to be “sacred” in the traditional sense. However, because Islamic belief responds to the manifestations of God everywhere in life, even everyday objects have the capacity to carry spiritual meaning. It is the inseparable link in Islamic thought between Beauty and Belief that makes this possible.

• The objects in this exhibition are primarily joyful. They are created neither to judge nor condemn, but to reveal the artist’s glimpse of paradise as they display their rich, decorative motifs and delightful adornment.

• Abstraction is a salient component of Islamic Art, reflecting both the microcosm and the macrocosm—from the atom to the universe. Abstraction transcends the material world and alludes to the domain of the timeless and unknowable, as God is timeless and unknowable.

• A key principle in Islamic Culture is the belief in al-Dhahir and al-Batin (The Visible and the Invisible). Both the Visible and the Invisible are part of the whole, with everything interconnected. In this exhibition, you will be introduced to only part of the whole Islamic story—only paragraphs of the entire narrative. However, even this fragmentary glimpse will serve as a foundation that has the power to turn sight into insight.

8 The Purpose of the Exhibition The ultimate purpose of Beauty and Belief is to build bridges and bring cultures together as we experience the visual language of Islamic Culture. Accordingly, this exhibition guide will emphasize three main areas of inquiry:

Beauty: Understanding the artistic significance and merit of the individual art objects and recognizing the overarching coherent visual language spoken throughout the centuries—whether in monumental architectural structures or everyday objects.

Belief: Appreciating the way in which the objects are woven into the fabric of Islamic Culture and worship, and perceiving how these objects reflect the shared Islamic view of the world and carry the spirit of Islamic Culture across the globe

Crossing Bridges: Recognizing the significance of these objects from a world view and the way in which they interconnect with other global communities; furthermore, sharpening our own perceptions of the world in which we live.

Note: The audiovisual elements throughout the galleries also enable visitors to engage with the objects on a deeper level, allowing them to discover details and meanings not immediately apparent.

9 Introduction

Calligraphic Scroll Ink, watercolor, and gold on paper, 14th–15th century, Syria or India, W. 36.6 cm L. 800 cm. The Al-Sabah Collection, Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah, Kuwait LNS 84 MS

with the Quar’anic phrase translated “God the Creator of Beauty of the Object Everything.” Calligraphed in a continuous, unbroken line, the This unusually large calligraphic scroll is inscribed mainly in detail symbolizes the infinite nature of God and His creations Arabic, but also includes Persian. The scroll contains pious and that everything is interconnected. inscriptions with verses from the Qur’an, sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, invocations, and proverbs. Two parts of the scroll have been identified. One part was probably Crossing Bridges produced in India, where Persian was spoken, and the other In Islamic Culture, God, who is unknowable, cannot be part was produced in Damascus in 1417 CE by followers of a shown as a figure or person. Here, God’s eternal nature is Sufi (mystic) order. revealed through the imagery of an unbroken line, winding in elegant patterns back upon itself.

An Expression of Belief ® How do other religions and cultures symbolically depict Some of the verses of this calligraphic scroll are esoteric and the object(s) of their worship? impenetrable, perhaps purposely so. Their highly symbolic nature points to the higher purposes of God that cannot ® What examples of non-figurative visual imagery showing be comprehended by man—the realm of al-Batin, or the the nature of God are you familiar with? Invisible. In the gallery, projected above the scroll, is a detail

10 Tile Mosaic Fragment (Alicatado) Fragment of a Bowl Manuscript Fragments Tin glazed earthenware, Spain (Granada), Monochrome lusterware, pink earthenware Ink, opaque watercolor and gold on paper 1330–1400, H. 29 cm Diam. 4.7 cm. Victoria body, Egypt, 11th century, H. 8.6 cm W. 24 cm. Iran, 16th–17th century. The Metropolitan Museum and Albert Museum, London 300C-1870 Brooklyn Museum, Gift of the Ernest Erickson of Art, New York, Gift of Adrienne Minassian, Photo © Victoria and Albert Museum, London Foundation, Inc. 86.227.81 1978 Inst.1978.13.13-22. Photo © The Metro- politan Museum of Art / Art Resource, NY

while embarking upon life’s journey. Furthermore, just as Beauty of the Object these fragments are only “part of the whole,” Islamic belief As you view the various fragments exhibited in this introductory perceives human beings as only “part of the whole” of God’s case, notice especially the tile mosaics, assembled from cut creations, with all of us being interconnected. sections of fired and glazed earthenware slabs. These mosaics are typical of the technique, geometric design, and multicolored palette of Spain and Morocco. The walls of the Alhambra Crossing Bridges Palace in Granada, Spain (completed 1391 CE), for example, are embellished extensively with this kind of tile work. Dr. Al Khemir intentionally begins the exhibition with a case containing many fragments—mosaics, earthenware pieces, and manuscripts. In fact, every work of art in the exhibition, An Expression of Belief however complete, still represents only a fragment of the The particular pattern on the mosaic fragment (left) is based story being told. Each object is part of a much larger picture, on the division of a circle into sixteen equal sections to create conveying the idea that even the most astute patron will see a radiating motif called shamsa (sun). The pattern of this only parts of the whole. It is upon these “parts” that bridges fragment would have covered huge surfaces and could be to greater understanding can be built. extended indefinitely, perhaps alluding to the infinite nature of God. Such endlessly repeated patterns convey a sense of ® To what extent does art have the power to build bridges, timelessness—the eternal perspective one might contemplate heal afflictions, and lead to greater empathy among people?

11 Prayer Rug Parokhet (Torah Curtain) Silk, wool and cotton, Turkey (Bursa or Istanbul), Wool, Egypt (Cairo), early 17th century, Ottoman, H. 186 cm W. 155 cm. second half 16th century, H. 172 cm W. 130 cm. The The Textile Museum, Washington D.C., Acquired by George Hewitt al-Sabah Collection, Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah, Myers in 1915 R16.4.4 Kuwait LNS 29 R

decoration of the wide border and the arch suggest Paradise, Beauty of the Object and the hanging lamp is a reference to the light which This particular prayer rug was produced for the Ottoman emanates from God. court. Its stylized floral decoration is typical of the repertoire of sixteenth-century Ottoman art and is found in various media such as ceramics and manuscript illumination. Crossing Bridges The Torah curtain shows an inscription in Hebrew combined Across the gallery from the prayer rug is a parokhet, or Torah with an Ottoman design typical of Islamic prayer rugs. The curtain, made to hang in front of the cupboard containing inscription reads: “This is the Gate of the Lord: Through it the Torah scrolls in a synagogue. It is similar in many the Righteous Enter” (Psalm 118:20). At the center of the respects to the prayer rug, indicating the shared aesthetic curtain is a chalice symbolizing the menorah (candelabrum), sensibilities of those immersed in Islamic Culture as it decorated with nine hanging lamps. The iconography of arch expanded across the globe. and lamps is shared symbolism between Muslims and Jews, alluding to the gate of heaven and Divine light. An Expression of Belief ® What other world religions use light and its manifestations An Islamic prayer rug symbolizes a spiritual oasis that can as sacred symbols? sanctify any location and ensure the cleanliness required for prayer. This prayer rug depicts a Mihrab—a prayer niche in the ® How does the obvious cultural exchange between Muslims wall of all mosques that indicates the sacred direction of Mecca and Jews suggest the possibility of acceptance and mutual toward which all Muslims face while praying. The stylized floral respect among all people of faith?

12 Qur’an Board Olive wood, Nigeria, 19th century, H. 58.5 cm W. 31 cm. Sam Fogg, London 12303

comparison with a tablet in Qur’anic schools, the concept Beauty of the Object of the tablet remains significant and is deeply rooted in Along with the prerequisite of reading and writing in Islamic culture. The more often the board is used after the Classical Arabic, learning and memorizing passages from ink is washed off, the more it gains spiritual value. the Qur’an begins with practice on this kind of board in the Kuttab (Qur’anic school). The text is written with a bamboo pen and ink made with soot, then washed away once the Crossing Bridges verses are memorized. Learning begins with the short Suras The learning and understanding of sacred writings is key to (chapters of the Qu’ran), and as competency increases the dedicated worship in all major religions and usually begins Suras become longer. In some parts of the Muslim world, during childhood. when the Qur’an is fully memorized, the tablet is decorated by the teacher as a kind of reward. ® What is it about the nature of a child that is especially receptive to learning religious doctrine?

An Expression of Belief ® By what methods are children most effectively taught It is believed that because all material is subject to such truths? disintegration, the best place to keep the Qur’an is in the heart, and that if the Qur’an is memorized by many it is ® How is it that sacred script seems to increase in spiritual more likely to be preserved. According to Islamic tradition, value the more it is used? the Qur’an is kept in lawh mahfudh (a preserved tablet in heaven). Even though a heavenly tablet would be beyond

13 The Word

Calligraphy from a Dala’il al-Khayrat Qur’an Manuscript, Volume 16 Page from a Qur’an Manuscript Manuscript Ink and color on burnished cream paper Gold on blue vellum, Probably Tunisia, late Ink and colors on paper, Morocco, 1856, H. with brown morocco binding, China, 18th 9th – early 10th century, H. 24.8 cm W. 34.6 cm. 30.5 cm W. 21.5 cm. Bibliothèque Nationale century, H. 26 cm W. 18.5 cm. Surat al-Kahf Surat al-Baqarah (Chapter 2) part of verse du Royaume du Maroc, Rabat. Ministère de la (Chapter 18) verse 75 through Surat Taha 109 through part of verse 114. Seattle Art Culture du Royaume du Maroc, Rabat 399 K (Chapter 20) verse 135. James and Ana Museum, Eugene Fuller Memorial Collection Melikian Collection 69.37 Photo Paul Macapia

The Word Omnipresent

For Muslims, the sacred text of the Qur’an is the literal word of God. Arabic, the language of the Qur’an, holds a special significance because it is the language that carries God’s words. Regardless of the native language spoken, the fact that Muslims everywhere are taught to read the Qur’an in Arabic is a unifying force throughout the Islamic world.

Arabic is a Semitic language, written from right to left and consisting of twenty-eight basic letters. Seventeen different letter shapes exist, with dots added to create others. These letters are used in a number of languages, including Persian, Berber in North Africa, Urdu in Pakistan, Kurdish in Iraq and Iran, and various languages in Indonesia and Malaysia.

Because of the emphasis placed on the Qur’anic word, the practice of calligraphy is considered a noble endeavor in Islamic culture—an act of piety that will be rewarded in heaven. Since the word is at the heart of the visual language of Islamic art, calligraphy permeates all aspects of artistic expression. As shown in this section of the exhibition, calligraphy appears on virtually all types of surfaces—from clothing and furnishings to everyday household items and building facades.

The Qur’an was initially transmitted through oral tradition; but once committed to pen, the writing of the word of God became a passionate preoccupation that developed into a sophisticated art form. While respecting the rules of tradition, calligraphers experimented endlessly with new styles worthy of carrying God’s words, the letters themselves becoming the vessels of sacred meaning. Calligraphers sought rhythm, harmony, and proportion in their visual prayers, with no limit to the variety of forms into which the embellished word could evolve. Whether sharp and angular (Kufic), rounded, or elongated; whether carved, incised, painted, or woven; calligraphy holds the power to transform an everyday object into a sacred emblem endowed with meaning.

14 The Word Omnipresent

Kashkul (Sufi Alms Bowl, Beggar’s Bowl) Carved nut shell (coco-de-mer), Iran, circa 19th century, H. 10.3 cm W. 12.7 cm L. 29 cm. Private Collection, London

Seychelle Islands to the shores of Iran, this object, like man, Beauty of the Object is carried on a metaphorical journey in the ocean of mystic This kashkul, or begging bowl, is made from a coconut shell knowledge until it arrives at its destination. that probably originated in the islands of the Indian Ocean and ultimately washed ashore in southern Iran. The surface is carved in relief with elegant calligraphy—inscriptions Crossing Bridges that include verses from the Qur’an as well as poetry by the One of the Arabic inscriptions on this kashkul refers to mystic poet Sa’di that praises the Prophet Muhammad. God as The Forgiver (al-Ghaffar), The Compassionate (al- Rahman), and The Provider (al-Razzaq). As attested to by the nature of the begging bowl, good people are expected to provide for the needy among them. In fact, one of the Five An Expression of Belief Pillars of Faith in Islam is almsgiving (zakat)—also a tenet of A kashkul is carried—often hanging from a chain—by a most religions throughout the world. dervish, who practices a form of Islam (Sufi) that renounces all worldly possessions. In Iranian culture there is a belief ® Can you think of a single world culture that fails to that ‘Ali, the Prophet’s son-in-law, used to leave kashkuls consider easing the burden of the less fortunate to be a filled with food for the poor. The kashkul tradition is still noble responsibility among its citizens? observed among the Sufis. ® What kinds of programs does your community sponsor for The long voyage of the coconut, out of which the kashkul the poor? is made, is imbued with symbolic significance. From the

15 Three Finials, Each with a Name of God Steel, incised, and overlaid in gold and backed with silver, Iran, probably early 18th century, Safavid, H. 20.5 cm W. 12 cm D. 0.3 cm. Private Collection, London

the omniscient, watchful nature of diety (ya raqib); and the Beauty of the Object third reveals God as the Sustainer (ya muqit), presumably of Islamic tradition ascribes ninety-nine names to God, life and all His creations. enumerating some of His limitless attributes. These three finials must have originally been part of a set of ninety-nine, each with one of the names of God. The finials probably Crossing Bridges crowned a grille in a shrine, creating a continuous pattern Part of the universal human experience is man’s attempt to where the negative space between finials echoes the comprehend the nature and attributes of God. In the following positive shape of the finial itself. The Arabic inscriptions are list of some of the Islamic ninety-nine names of God, ponder left in reserve against various backgrounds, one of which is how closely these mirror the characteristics that you think comprised of floral arabesques. deity might possess: The Exceedingly Compassionate, The King, The Source of Peace, The Guardian, The Majestic, The Judge, The Sublime, The Wise, The Loving, The Advocate, The An Expression of Belief Restorer, The One. These three finials describe three distinct characteristics of ® How might some of these virtues correspond with the God. One can be translated “O Originator (ya mubdi)—the attributes that we should all cultivate as we become better One who started the human being, the One who created citizens and more compassionate human beings? him,” referring to God the Creator. Another crest considers

16 Heech (Nothing) Bronze sculpture on wood base, Parviz Tanavoli (Iranian, b. 1937–), 1972, H. 56.5 cm W. 30.5 cm D. 20.3 cm. Grey Art Gallery, New York University Art Collection, Gift of Abby Weed Grey, 1975 G1975.54

a symbol of life, devoid of despair and hopelessness. It may Beauty of the Object even allude to that calm place of nothingness in our minds The artist, Parviz Tanavoli, is celebrated as one of Iran’s as we meditate in quiet solitude, where all the cares of the significant modern sculptors. His numerous statues of “Heech,” world seem to slip away. meaning “nil” in Persian, have received considerable popular acclaim among Iranians. Although historically calligraphy had appeared primarily on two-dimensional surfaces, Tanavoli Crossing Bridges adds a third dimension in the form of a graphically dynamic ® How might you consider “nothing” as a positive notion? bronze sculpture. Paradoxically, the solid representation of “nothing” has the substance and movement of an animate ® If you were an artist, how might you represent “nothing” figure. The bronze metal breathes additional life into the visually? reflective patina. ® How would you imbue your “nothing” with life, joy, and spontaneity, as did Parviz Tanavoli?

An Expression of Belief ® Throughout the history of man’s creative endeavors, can Although the connotations of “nothing” in Western thought you think of examples of calligraphy employed as sculpture? are largely negative, its meaning in Iranian mysticism transcends (for example, Robert Indiana’s Love sculpture) any pessimism. “Heech” is a celebration, not a negation. It is

17 Qur’an Manuscript, Volume 16 Page from a Qur’an Manuscript Page from a Qur’an Manuscript Ink and color on burnished cream paper Gold on blue vellum, Probably Tunisia, late Ink on parchment with gold background, with brown morocco binding, China, 18th 9th – early 10th century, H. 24.8 cm W. 34.6 cm. Abbasid Caliphate, 9th century, H. 18.1 cm century, H. 26 cm W. 18.5 cm. Surat al-Kahf Surat al-Baqarah (Chapter 2) part of verse W. 28.26 cm. Surat al-Baqarah (Chapter 2) (Chapter 18) verse 75 through Surat Taha 109 through part of verse 114. Seattle Art verse 103. Los Angeles County Museum of (Chapter 20) verse 135. James and Ana Museum, Eugene Fuller Memorial Collection Art, The Nasli M. Heeramaneck Collection, Melikian Collection 69.37 Gift of Joan Palevsky M.73.5.498

Qur’an, the most sacred text of Islam, is believed to be the Beauty of the Object literal word of God as revealed through the angel Gabriel, As you admire the many examples of the Qur’an in this through Muhammad, over a period of approximately twenty- section of the exhibition—from Ethiopia to Spain to China— three years beginning in 610 CE. At that time Muhammad notice the variety of calligraphic styles and the profusion was forty years old, and he spent the rest of his life gradually of rich embellishments that adorn these sacred texts. The obtaining these revelations until his death in 632 CE. Blue Qur’an, for example, makes use of luxurious colored vellum and paper rare in the Islamic world, on which striking gold letters are inscribed. The Kufic script, which became Crossing Bridges popular for transcribing the Qur’an as early as the late eighth As with most sacred texts throughout the world, the century, gives the Qur’an a sense of austerity and purity with importance of God’s words is accentuated by the lavishly its elongated angularity and punctuated rhythmic structure. decorated settings in which they are couched. Copying Diacritical marks, which are important for differentiating the sacred text is seen as a pious act of devotion to which vowels, are deliberately absent in the Blue Qur’an because calligraphers and scholars were willing to devote their lives. the reader is expected to know the Qur’an by heart. Throughout history man has attempted, perhaps in vain, to provide a setting and abode worthy to house the precious words of their God.

An Expression of Belief ® Can you think of other vocations that might require and In the Qur’an it is written, “If the sea were ink for [writing] inspire this level of dedication and commitment? the Words of my Lord, surely, the sea would be exhausted before the Words of my Lord would be finished, even if we ® Is there anything in your own life that demands such brought [another sea] like it for its aid” (Qur’an 18:109). The allegiance and resolve?

18 The Word in Architectural Space

Pair of Door Panels Ivory and wood, Turkey, 16th century, Ottoman, Left Panel: H. 17 cm W. 22.5 cm D. 1.7 cm. Right Panel: H. 17 cm W. 23.3 cm D. 1.5 cm. Private Collection, London

before us. As one enters the doors of the structure upon Beauty of the Object which these panels rest, the meaning of the text is further The use of inscriptions and calligraphy in public spaces, both emphasized by the physical act of opening the door. And sacred and secular, began as early as the seventh century. in hoping that the “best” door has been opened, the For example, the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem (completed experience within will probably be enhanced as well. in 692 CE), the earliest major Islamic structure, has Qur’anic inscriptions circling the arcade both inside and outside. The choice of inscription used on architectural structures is Crossing Bridges often determined by the function of the space on which it is The analogy of doors being opened as applicable to one’s written. Some structures are literally draped in calligraphic journey through life is shared by many religions and cultures. inscriptions. In Christianity, for example, if one knocks, the door will be opened. What is behind the door seems, universally, to be blessings from on high—in the form of answered prayers, greater wisdom, and perhaps the opening of doors within us An Expression of Belief that lead to the cultivation of our best selves. A pair of door panels from sixteenth-century Turkey are decorated with an Arabic inscription that reads, “O Opener ® Can you think of other ways that “doors” are used of [all] the doors, Open for us the best door.” This text symbolically in world literature and the arts? serves as a reminder that it is indeed God who provides the opportunities in our lives. The inscription is also ® If you were to write a message on the door of your own an invocation asking that God grant us the blessing of home, what would it say? uncovering the very richest of these opportunities laid out

19 The Voice of the Object Healing and Protection

Mirror (front and back) Bowl Brass, engraved, Iran, 13th century, inscrip- Tortoise-shell inlaid in ivory, Turkey, circa tions probably 14th century, Diam. 12.3 cm 1900, 2.5 cm Diam. 13.5 cm, Private Collec- D. 0.3 cm, Private Collection, London tion

Beauty of the Object An Expression of Belief The belief in the power of the word and its divine properties The sacred word seems to be endowed with supernatural leads to a belief that the word has the power to heal and power that can bring healing and peace to both body and protect. This power gives voice to the objects in this soul. It is not surprising, then, that Muslims would surround section—a voice that shares blessings, good wishes, and themselves with such words embedded in the objects of timeless wisdom across the centuries. This mirror, for everyday life. The calligraphy gives voice to such objects as example, is decorated with a pair of sphinxes, symbols they serve to continuously remind believers of God’s power of protection in the Ancient world. When looking into the to heal and protect. mirror, one’s face is reflected in the surface that is inscribed with sacred Qur’anic text, thus invoking God’s blessings to be protected. The repetition of the words on the mirror is . Crossing Bridges perhaps suggestive of a chant invoking the remembrance There is no denying the power of the word. In some cultures, of God (dhikr). a curse is believed to have the power to maim; in others, The Turkish bowl, covered in Ottoman inscriptions, is also chanting wards off evil spirits. Many believe that gaining associated with healing and protection. Many cultures control over one’s employment of words allows one to around the world have viewed tortoises as symbols of achieve ascendancy over the baser self. steadfastness and longevity. The tortoise shell itself was sometimes used as medicine in powdered form, and this ® To what extent does our belief in the power of the word bowl would have originally held a drink meant for medicinal affect what we say and write? purposes.

20 Hallab – Drinking Vessel Earthenware, painted on opaque glaze under transparent glaze, Tunisia (Qallaline), end of 16th – beginning of 17th century, H. 23 cm Diam. 27 cm, Private Collection, Europe

Beauty of the Object Crossing Bridges The design of this vessel is marked by duality, both in its An inscription inside the collar of this drinking vessel adds composition and its two-color ornamentation. One side is a metaphysical dimension to the object know in Islam as covered with a floral decoration, motifs that are typical of Batin. Batin refers to the hidden, or underlying meaning of the fifteenth-to-sixteenth-century Ottoman style in Tunisia. the Qu’ran, as opposed to Dhahir, or apparent meaning of The neck is covered with stylized patterns, including chevron this script. Of course things that are hidden—whether it be bands that mark a punctuating rhythm. The central floral writing on the inside lip of a cup or inscrutable passages of component is a single, stylized leaf surrounded by lush scripture—are only hidden from man, not God. As with all foliage. The other side of the vessel is completely different, truth, only those who seek and study and ponder become covered instead with calligraphy. privy to the hidden mysteries of God’s knowledge. Think of times when you’ve experienced an extra measure of wisdom or understanding—an “ah-ha!” moment where a flash of An Expression of Belief insight occurs. This drinking vessel once inhabited the sanctuary of Sidi ® Has this ever transpired without first paying the price of Mahrez, the patron saint of the city of Tunis. Sidi Mahrez, study, research, and contemplation? who died in 1022, was an ascetic who is said to have fostered craftsmanship and was protective of the Jewish ® How does time, patience, and perseverance factor into community. The entrance hall of the Sidi Mahrez Mausoleum humankind’s great innovations and discoveries? (sqifa) has served as a refuge for the poor for centuries, and the water in its well is believed to be blessed and is sought for a variety of needs.

21 The Voice of the Object Timeless Wisdom

Bowl Vase Earthenware, slip painted, Iran or Transoxi- Earthenware, slip painted, Iran or Uzbeki- ana, 10th century, H. 6.6 cm Diam. 19.1 cm stan (Nishapur or Afrasiyab), 10th century, The al-Sabah Collection, Dar al-Athar al- H. 15.9 cm W. 10.5 cm, The al-Sabah Collec- Islamiyyah, Kuwait, LNS 119 C tion, Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah, Kuwait LNS 833 C

The vase consists of one of the sayings of the Prophet Beauty of the Object Muhammad: “Modesty is from faith and faith from Paradise.” The simple material of this tenth-century earthenware An essential characteristic of a true Muslim is, indeed, vase belies its subtle beauty and sophisticated design. modesty. The saying on the bowl reads, “He who talks The pronounced shape of the vase is accentuated by the much, errs much.” Islamic tradition encourages silence and calligraphy’s elongated, vertical strokes. Kufic script, with considers it a sign of wisdom and virtue in one’s quest for its angular geometric shapes painted in black against a buff the Divine. white ground, creates a striking graphic quality.

Like the vase, the bowl is also slip painted—the technique Crossing Bridges of painting with liquefied clay—allowing for greater control People often possess visual reminders of the Divine and precision in executing the calligraphic lines as though throughout their homes and offices in the form of wise they were being written on vellum or paper. As with the vase, sayings and instructive adages. limiting the palette of the bowl to ivory and black provides striking contrasts and minimalistic purity. ® Do you possess any such reminders?

An Expression of Belief ® What virtues do they call upon? The inscriptions on the vase and bowl emphasize two desired virtues, modesty and verbal restraint, respectively.

22 Pen Box Natural Leaf with Calligraphy Horseshoe Bronze inlaid with silver and gold, Syria or Thuluth script, Horse chestnut leaf, Turkey, Silver inlaid iron, Turkey, 18th century, H. Turkey, first half 13th century, H. 3.5 cm W. 19th century, H. 20.3 cm W. 8.9 cm, Private 11.8 cm W. 10.1 cm, Ahuan Islamic Art 4.8 cm L. 21.5 cm, The al-Sabah Collection, Collection, USA Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah, Kuwait, LNS 17 M

of the “bite the hand that feeds you” dictum in Western Beauty of the Object culture. The truism on the leaf wisely reminds us that “The In Islamic culture, inscriptions on objects are found in the best people are those who do good for other people.” The most unlikely places—pen boxes, leaves, and horsehoes, fragility of the leaf itself stands in stark contrast to for example. Many are proverbs conveying cultural wisdom; the importance of this calligraphic message. others are warnings against inappropriate behavior. The calligraphy is usually elaborate, highly embellished, and often difficult to decipher. Since the letters need to conform Crossing Bridges to the shape of the object, they often become elongated Understanding the processes involved in the creation of a and abstracted. On the leaf, for example, the calligraphy precious art object often enhances our admiration of the molds to the natural contours of the organic object. Leaves work itself. With the natural leaf, for example, the delicate such as this were produced in Ottoman Turkey and became and laborious process involves flattening the leaf, sealing especially popular among Sufi (mystic) orders. the stenciled inscription with wax, soaking the leaf in an alkaline solution to remove the leaf tissue, and meticulously applying the calligraphy in gold.

An Expression of Belief We are all involved in the “creative process” at some time The inscription on the lid of the pen box reads: “Do not in our lives. write with your hand except that which will delight you to see on Judgment Day.” Connected to one’s tendency to say ® To what extent does the intensity of painstaking labor too much is one’s propensity toward writing things that will involved in a creative endeavor influence our perception of later prove to be an embarrassment, or writing fabrications the value of the finished product? instead of the truth. ® Is it often more precious if we had to work harder to The proverb on the horseshoe issues the warning: “Fear the obtain it? evil of him whom you have been charitable to.” This rings

23 figures and figurines

Bowl Rosewater Sprinkler Vase Earthenware, slip painted, Eastern Iran Colored glass, mold blown and free blown, Brass with silver inlay and black filler or (probably Nishapur) or Samarkand, 10th cen- and tooled, Iran, 18th – 19th century, Qajar, composition inlay, Iran (Khorasan), 12th – tury, H. 4.4 cm Diam. 14.4 cm, The al-Sabah H. 33 cm W. 10.2 cm, Courtesy of Shangri early 13th century, H. 16.5 cm Diam. 12.5 cm Collection, Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah, La, Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art, The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, Kuwait, LNS 1 C Honolulu, Hawaii, 47.9 Maryland, 54.453

The ban on figurative imagery is probably one of the most widespread misperceptions about Islamic art. There is a general belief that Islam forbids figurative imagery and that the arts of Islamic Culture are devoid of any figurative representation. However, figurative imagery has existed at all times throughout the Islamic world in all forms of secular art. As seen is this exhibition, figures were integrated into the living spaces and everyday lives of Islamic culture—in the form of pottery, frescoes, woodcarvings, mosaics, textiles, etc., and as part of every conceivable utilitarian object such as scissors and teapots.

When the Prophet Muhammad entered Mecca in 630 CE, he destroyed the 360 idols in and around the Ka’bah. While destroying each idol, Muhammad is said to have recited a verse from the Qur’an: “The truth has come, and falsehood has vanished away . . .” (Qur’an 17:81, Surat al-Isra’). However, the Prophet is believed to have left a portrait of Jesus and Maryam (Mary) intact. The Prophet’s main purpose was to introduce Tawhid, the Oneness of God, not to destroy all images.

In Islam, figurative imagery as an idol or icon is categorically forbidden. However, representation of humans and animals is prohibited only in spaces of worship, where it could be associated with idolatry. There is nothing in the Qur’an that speaks against figurative images in the arts. In Egypt, for example, there is a popular tradition that occurs after pilgrims have returned from Hajj. They commission artists to paint the façades of their houses to display narrative scenes recording and celebrating their pilgrimage to Mecca. Today, figurative images also pervade Islamic culture through movies, photographs, and television.

As you move through the bridge section from “The Word” to “Figures and Figurines,” notice how the animal and human shapes often display a stylistic treatment that is close to calligraphy in spirit. The curvature and sweeping elongations of the forms have a sense of rhythm and abstraction characteristic of the myriad Arabic styles of writing seen in “The Word” galleries.

24 Figures and Figurines in the Fabric of Everyday Life

Flask Vessel in the Form of a Seated Figure Yellowish and blue-green, free blown glass tooled with Fritware, painted in black under a tur- applied decoration, Syria, 7th – 9th century, H. 10 cm quoise glaze with touches of blue and W. 7 cm L. 10 cm, The David Collection, Copenhagen, traces of iridescence, Iran, second half 49/1979 13th century, H. 25.9 cm W. 13.2 cm D. 11.6 cm, The al-Sabah Collection, Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah, Kuwait, LNS 305 C

Beauty of the Object An Expression of Belief This type of glass flask is an example of the myriad ways in The Prophet Muhammad said that “God is beautiful and which figurines are used in domestic settings throughout loves beauty.” This implies that God, the supreme example Islamic culture, and can be traced to Roman times. However, of beauty, is also the ultimate beholder of beauty. In Islamic the fact that the flask is mounted on an animal—in this art, if the voice of the object conveys something beautiful, it instance a stylized horse-like figure—is a more distinctly will be pleasing to God. Hence, mortal man’s desire to create Islamic interpretation. The translucent glass flask was things of beauty, and be surrounded by things of beauty, is probably meant to hold fragrant oil. an extension of his faith—since everything that is beautiful connects with God’s nature. The vessel depicts a crowned, seated figure holding a water skin, which functions as a double spout from which liquid can be poured. The technique of painting beneath the glaze Crossing Bridges gained popularity in the twelfth century. The figure’s facial Incorporated into the fabric of everyday life, these utilitarian features and hair locks, as well as a three-dot pattern on objects masterfully combine form and function, beauty and the body and face, were painted in black before the whole usefulness. Furthermore, although lost to us through the figurine was covered in a translucent, originally bright centuries, these figures probably had symbolic meaning, turquoise glaze. perhaps linked with stories or legends.

® How much richer would all of our lives be if the objects surrounding us were infused with beauty and meaning, tradition and heritage? 25 Illustration from the Automata of al-Jazari Ink and gouache on paper, Far- rukh ibn ‘Abd al-Latif al-Yaquti al- Maulawi , Syria, dated December 1315, H. 31.5 cm W. 27.0 cm, The al-Sabah Collection, Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah, Kuwait, LNS 17 MS

Obligatory Salat occurs five times each day according to Beauty of the Object the movement of the sun. Keeping time is also important in Although this representation of a water-powered clock tracking the events and holy days of the Islamic calendar. is actually a diagram explaining the mechanism of this particular invention, the colors, balanced composition, and Crossing Bridges embellishments give it an aesthetic quality in its own right. Many cultures throughout history have reached their zenith The style of painting—especially the flattened scribe with his due, in part, to their scientific advancements. almond-shaped eyes and golden halo—is strongly linked to Byzantine tradition. These meter-high water-powered clocks, ® Can you think of some of the inventions that have which became a passion in the Islamic world, would have advanced certain civilizations to great heights? evoked wonder within the courtly circles that commissioned them. As the scribe automatically rotates, he marks the Al-Jazari was an engineer in thirteenth-century Iraq who built passage of time with his pen. a large number of mechanical devices that revolutionized engineering. Automatic machines operated by human figurines were one of his original inventions, and he An Expression of Belief recorded many of them in his Book of Knowledge of Ingenious Mechanical Devices. Such ingenuity, whether playful or Time keeping plays an important role in Islamic culture. practical, is highly prized in Islamic culture, as in all cultures. For example Salat (prayer), one of the Five Pillars of Islam, requires prescribed conditions, procedures, and times.

26 Figures and Figurines and the Entertaining Didactic

Queen Shirin Visiting the Sculptor Farhad Oil on canvas, Iran (Shiraz), mid 18th century, H. 91.44 cm W. 88.9 cm, Brooklyn Museum, Bequest of Irma B. Wilkinson in memory of her husband, Charles K. Wilkinson, 1997.108.5

God, morality, patriotism, love of family, helping the poor, Beauty of the Object justice, the pursuit of wisdom, chivalry, forgiveness, hard This painting, which was shaped to fit a niche in the work, kindness, and knowledge. It also recounts the creation upper wall of a reception room, is thematically related to of the world and the inception of civilization with its great the Shahnama (The Book of Kings). The Shahnama is a discoveries such as fire, metallurgy, law, and the arts. renowned national epic, considered to be a definitive work expressing Iran’s cultural identity. This eleventh-century Crossing Bridges literary masterpiece is composed of sixty thousand couplets by the Persian poet Firdawsi. It is a mythical and historical The Shahnama has been illustrated again and again over narrative of Greater Iran (modern-day Afghanistan and Iran) the centuries and still serves as a source of inspiration, from primordial times to the seventh-century Arab conquest particularly for Iranian artists. It is replete with several of Persia. hundred years of heroes and monsters, villains and mythological creatures. It is the journey of a culture through the mythical, heroic, and historical earmarks of the ages.

An Expression of Belief ® Can you think of similar epics in Western literature? The Shahnama is comprehensive in its teachings regarding the moral compass of the Islamic world—the worship of one ® What types of artworks have these classics inspired?

27 Pair of Onagers Bear and Monkey Illustration from the Manafi’ al-Hayawan of Ibn Illustration from the Sulwan al-Muta’ of Abu ‘Abdul- Bakhtishu, Ink and gouache on paper, Iran, early 14th lah ibn Zafar as-Siqilli, Ink, gouache and gold on century, H. 26.5 cm W. 21.0 cm, The al-Sabah Collec- paper, Egypt or Syria, second quarter 14th century tion, Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah, Kuwait, LNS 59 MS H. 25.0 cm W. 17.6 cm, The al-Sabah Collection, Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah, Kuwait, LNS 104 MS

Beauty of the Object An Expression of Belief Islamic culture has a rich tradition of storytelling. Its didactic Fables often illustrate a moral lesson that emphasizes and entertaining narratives often feature animals, plants, righteous living. For example, the witty narrative from the and other forces of nature that are endowed with both Sulwan al-Muta’ about the bear and monkey encourages human qualities and extraordinary powers. The theatrical rulers to reign with justice and magnanimity by applying the scene showing bear and monkey unfolds as the bear precepts of Islam, and quotes from both the Qur’an and the takes his friend to see the monkey doctor because the Hadith (a collection of sayings and deeds attributed to the monkey’s eyesight is failing. The doctor, who is known for his Prophet Muhammad). devious ways, makes his patient climb a tree in order to be examined. It appears, however, that the unethical treatment results in the monkey falling from his perch! The delicate Crossing Bridges painting shows the figures against a gold backdrop, while Whether through fables or scientific treatises, learning is the sky hangs like a swag. regarded as an ethical endeavor in Islamic culture. The Prophet Muhammad is believed to have said, “Seeking Islamic scholars translated many early treatises from Greek knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim (male and and Latin into Arabic. As the didactic narrative became a female).” Another saying attributed to the Prophet is, “Seek popular genre, even scientific texts employed lavish didactic knowledge even as far as China.” The Prophet’s council illustrations that made the subject more enjoyable. For reveals insight that is applicable in all times and places – example, a copy of Ibn Bakhtishu’s Manafi’ al-Hayawan that wisdom is not limited to a single people or culture but (The Benefits of Animals), produced in the early fourteenth can be found throughout the world. century, has beautiful illustrations drawn with calligraphic elegance and precision. ® Can you trace the myriad sources of the wisdom and knowledge that you have obtained throughout your life?

28 Figures and Figurines of the Imagination

Griffin Cast bronze with engraved decoration, Probably Spain, 11th – 12th century, H. 107 cm W. 43 cm L. 87 cm, Opera della Primaziale Pisana, Pisa, (Copy exhibited)

humans, can look upon their anthropomorphic attributes Beauty of the Object with respect, admiration, and a willingness to emulate their The griffin—with the head and wings of a bird and the strengths in our own lives. body of a lion—is one of the most famous Islamic bronze figurines. Wherever its origins—possibly Egypt, Iran, or Spain—it embarked upon an impressive journey over 800 Crossing Bridges years ago and mysteriously found its way to Pisa, where it We’ve all heard the adage that things are not always as they still resides today. During renovation work on the cathedral, seem. This is especially true of the arts of Islamic culture, it was discovered that the Pisa griffin was, in fact, Islamic, as which are often layered with a multiplicity of meanings. indicated by Arabic inscription on the body of the figurine. For example, on the upper part of the Griffin’s legs are cartouches containing bird and feline images—figures within the Griffin figure itself. Furthermore, recent x-rays of the An Expression of Belief Griffin have revealed a hidden vessel that may have once produced a roaring sound as the wind blew through it. Such The Kufic inscription on the griffin reads: “Perfect initially hidden elements in works of art serve as a metaphor benediction, complete well-being, perfect joy, eternal peace for the way in which we can learn to approach our lives— and perfect health, and happiness and good fortune for with an expectation that upon closer examination, and over the owner.” It is fitting that such a majestic creation as time, life’s mysteries will gradually unfold. this would carry wishes of such magnitude. Mythological creatures of this nature—a composite of various animals ® For example, how often have you re-read a great piece endowed with their respective strengths—is an ancient of literature or watched a classic movie for the second or tradition inherited by the Islamic world. Many such hybrid third time and gleaned new insights and meanings that had figures functioned as symbolic guardians, just as the Pisa previously escaped your attention? griffin became the sentinel for the great cathedral. We, as

29 Peacock Aquamanile (Water Vessel) Two-Wick Oil Lamp Incense Burner Cast bronze with incised decoration Cast brass with engraved decoration, Iran Cast bronze with openwork and Spain (probably Cordoba), end of 10th (Khorasan), 12th century, H. 11 cm W. 8.5 cm Diam. engraved decoration Eastern Iran or century, H. 36.5 cm W. 13 cm L. 20 cm 15.5 cm, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, Afghanistan, 11th – 12th century , H. 24.5 The Furusiyya Art Foundation M.112-1909 cm W. 11.5 cm L. 29.5 cm, The David Col- lection, Copenhagen , 48/1981

tradition of Islamic culture, storytellers often begin their Beauty of the Object tales of supernatural creatures with the expression: “May The sweet smell of incense has historically been used to God be praised for His Creation.” All creatures are subject ward off malevolent spirits and as a method of purification. to God’s power, and despite our limited view in this earthly This feline incense burner has a body within which incense is realm, there are likely a multitude of God’s creations sprinkled on top of embers, and the scented smoke unfurls unknown to us. through the openwork. The two-wick oil lamp also makes visual reference to the feline race, greatly admired for its keen senses, stealth, and agility. The oil lamp stands on its Crossing Bridges feline feet with light flaring from lotus-shaped wicks and its ® Why do cultures throughout the world invent such bizarre catlike head protruding from the middle. and incredible creatures as part of their cultural mythology?

The open beak serves as a spout on the crowned peacock Perhaps we are so fascinated with the prodigious gifts given pouring vessel. The handle takes the shape of a bird’s neck to members of the animal kingdom, we enjoy intermingling and head, introducing a fantastical aspect to an essentially them with human characteristics. Furthermore, in relation naturalistic representation. Notice how the incised lines on to our perpetual preoccupation with the “Super Hero,” we the body of the peacock elegantly define its plumage. delight in creating a champion that is an amalgamation of the supreme attributes of all creation. Another reason for the potent presence of these magical creatures in our cultural mythology may be more spiritual. Perhaps, by An Expression of Belief projecting our imaginations into unseen worlds, it reminds These extraordinary creatures play a distinct role in Islamic us that we may one day shake off the confines of mortality culture—one that reminds people of the world beyond and witness, for ourselves, the world beyond. and that God’s creations are without number. In the oral

30 Figures and Figurines and the Mystical

Prophet Muhammad’s Ascent to Heaven Opaque watercolor on paper, Iran, mid 16th century , H. 23.3 cm W. 13.7 cm, Seattle Art Museum, Eugene Fuller Memorial Collection, 47.96

about the five daily prayers, which became a pillar of Islam Beauty of the Object and Islamic Culture. Hence, these daily prayers are closely This exquisite painting depicts the Prophet Muhammad’s associated with this heavenly flight, wherein all Muslims ascent to heaven. It is marked by rich detail, vivid colors, and have the opportunity, like the Prophet Muhammad, to be in swirling dynamism. The Prophet Muhammad is shown at the direct communion with God. center of the picture surrounded by angels, some of them carrying guiding lights. Interestingly, some details, such as the angels’ dress and the stylistic treatment of clouds, Crossing Bridges are inspired by Chinese paintings of the period. This is yet One of the most compelling unifying forces among three another example of the cross-cultural influences that have of the world’s notable religions—Islam, Christianity, and inspired Islamic art throughout the centuries. Judaism—is the shared heritage of the Prophet Abraham as well as the great prophets before and after him. On Muhammad’s Night Journey, the Buraq, the extraodinary horse on which Muhammad rode, is believed to have also An Expression of Belief transported the Prophet Abraham many centuries before. The Persian text above and below the painting creates a Furthermore, Muhammad’s associations with the heavenly frame for the dramatic scene—a window through which we angels and God included interviews with the prophets from can view the Prophet Muhammad’s mystical “Night Journey” the time of Adam down to Jesus. (Isra’ and Mi’raj). According to the Qur’an and the Hadith, during his lifetime he ascended to heaven from Jerusalem ® What impact do you think it would have on mankind’s riding on the Buraq, a heavenly steed endowed with mutual respect for one another if we shared our common lightning speed. While on his journey, Muhammad met God bonds rather than pass judgment on our differences? and a number of former prophets. He was also instructed

31 Sultan Mahmud of Ghazna in Discussion with a Dervish Suleyman and Bilqis Enthroned Makhzan al-asrar (Treasury of Secrets) by Mawlana , Haydar, opaque water- Page from an unidentified text, Opaque watercolor, ink and gold on color, ink and gold on paper, Iran (Khorasan), 1577–1578, Safavid , H. 33.1 cm paper, Iran, circa 1590-1600, H. 38.0 cm W. 24.4 cm, Arthur M. Sack- W. 21.0 cm D. 2.1 cm, Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Wash- ler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C., Purchase— ington D.C., Purchase—Smithsonian Unrestricted Trust Funds, Smithsonian Smithsonian Unrestricted Trust Funds, Smithsonian Collections Collections Acquisition Program, and Dr. Arthur M. Sackler, S1986.54, f. 26a Acquisition Program, and Dr. Arthur M. Sackler, S1986.281

Mahmud, a prominent eleventh-century Persian ruler. Beauty of the Object Far from being impressed by the Sultan, the dervish One of the most important figures in Islamic belief and criticized him for his pursuit of worldly riches and his lack of culture is King Suleyman (Solomon), who lived around preparation for the afterlife. Replying, the Sultan asked the the tenth century BCE. He is a major figure of the Old dervish how prepared he was for his death; in response, the Testament who is also recognized in the Qur’an as a prophet dervish simply laid down and died. The incident illuminates of God. A recurrent subject in Islamic painting, this vivid a view of life shared by so many world religions and watercolor shows Suleyman with Bilqis, the Queen of Sheba, philosophies—that material wealth has little value in the surrounded by a vast array of animals, birds, jinns, and other course of one’s spiritual journey. mythical creatures.

The second miniature is from The Treasury of Secrets, a Crossing Bridges twelfth-century philosophical book in verse by the Persian In Islamic tradition, the three sentient creations of God poet Nizami. Its stories are concerned with choosing a in the universe are humans, angels, and jinns. Jinns are spiritual path in preparation for the afterlife. In this painting, especially fascinating supernatural creatures that occupy a the prince is portrayed in his sumptuous costume, his horse parallel world to that of mankind. The Qur’an describes jinns and dog nearby while his attendants watch from afar. The as being made of smokeless flames. They can be virtuous, dervish, who looks disheveled and unassuming, is sitting in malevolent, or neutral according to the circumstances. The a ruined building inhabited by birds and snakes. earliest jinn stories can be read in One Thousand and One Nights—folk tales compiled during the Middle Ages (c. 750 CE - c. 1258 CE). An Expression of Belief ® Can you think of an adaptation of jinns in Western culture? The Treasury of Secrets painting illustrates a theological (such as genies, for example) encounter between an ascetic, or dervish, and Sultan

32 Majnun in the Wilderness Majnun at the Ka’bah Opaque watercolor and gold on paper, Northern Page from a manuscript of the Khamsa of Nizami, India, circa 1595, H. 23.2 cm W. 15 cm, The San Ink, opaque watercolor and gold on paper, Iran Diego Museum of Art, Edwin Binney 3rd Collection (Shiraz), 1517, H. 24.75 cm W. 10.25 cm, Los Ange- 1990:304 les County Museum of Art, The Nasli M. Heerama- neck Collection, Gift of Joan Palevsky, M.73.5.423

hope that prayers offered at this sacred site would cure his Beauty of the Object son, the heartsick Majnun pleads, instead, that his love be Leila and Majnun is the most popular of all Muslim increased. Likewise, as believers throughout the world pray romances. Although both of these watercolors depict in holy places, their love for God is augmented. Majnun‘s Majnun in a state of lovesick madness, they could not pining for love in the wilderness can be seen as yet another be more different in their artistic approaches. Majnun type of mystical metaphor—that of the soul’s longing to be at the Ka’bah is rendered with geometric precision and with God. compositional balance, while Majnun in the Wilderness employs a monochromatic and complex array of intertwining lines representing a variety of animals, foliage, and the Crossing Bridges emaciated Majnun. The classical respose of the former The theme of this seventh-century story, adapted by the reflects Majnun’s prayerful supplications, while the latter twelfth-century Persian mystic poet Nizami, is a universal tale exudes Majnun’s madness and anguish with every dramatic of woe found in world literature throughout all time. Like the stroke of the brush. story of Romeo and Juliet, for example, it is a tale of romance and loss, a legend of unrequited love. Perhaps Majnun is more in love with the idea of Leila than with the real Leila—a hardship that afflicts all mortals in wanting what cannot be An Expression of Belief obtained. Like Romeo and Juliet, the star-crossed lovers’ In Islamic culture, love stories are often a metaphor for love union never takes place. The story ends with the death of of the Divine. Spiritual elements abound in the story of Leila both Leila and Majnun, who are buried side by side. and Majnun. For example, after Majnun loses his mind for love of Leila, a woman from a distinguished tribe of Arabia, ® Can you think of any modern-day adaptations of this tale? his father takes him to the Ka’bah. Despite his father’s

33 pattern

Bowl with a Hare Star Tile Plate Depicting Simurg Incised, white slipped and painted pot- Fritware, overglaze luster painted with Earthenware, slip painted, Iran, 10th century tery, Aghkand type, Northwest Iran or the turquoise and cobalt blue , Iran (prob- H. 12 cm Diam. 34.3 cm (12 cm at base) Caucasus, 12th – 13th century, H. 11.5 cm ably Takht-i Suleyman), circa 1270–1280, Benaki Museum, Athens, Greece Diam. 30 cm, The British Museum, London, Diam. 20 cm D. 1.27 cm, Los Angeles County ΓE 39188 1972,0410.1 Museum of Art, Art Museum Council Fund, M.68.22.8

Pattern permeates every aspect of Islamic art and life, both sacred and secular. It can be seen on everyday objects and scientific instruments, interwoven with calligraphic inscriptions, and on the intricately decorated ceilings and facades of architectural structures. Based on repeated units of geometric shapes and arabesques, patterns overlap, interlace, and multiply in endless variety on such surfaces as stonework, woodwork, manuscript illuminations, and carpets.

The most salient theme in this section of the exhibition is the way in which pattern points to God. In Islamic art, pattern acts as a mirror of nature by reflecting the inherent rules that reveal the character of God and his creations. At the same time, the notion of pattern is in harmony with the abstract quality of God—that He is beyond representation. Pattern is also intimately linked with numbers, thought to be of Divine origin. The geometric complexities of patterns are associated with the mathematics of the universe, from the subatomic to the cosmic. We see only parts of the patterns due to the limitations of our visual field, yet they can extend forever—a perfect metaphor for the infinite nature of God.

The language of pattern in Islamic art is also a visual representation of the rhythmic incantations involved in the ritual of chanting praises to God. The act of contemplating the harmonious musicality of patterns is deemed to have the capacity to open channels between God and the believer, allowing fleeting contact with the infinite. The vegetal patterns of Islamic art remind the believer of God’s bounteous creations and the gardens of paradise. The omnipresence of pattern in Islamic art is symbolic of the belief in the omnipresence of God.

As you enter the bridge section from “Figures and Figurines” to “Pattern,” notice the way that figural images are now reshaped and transformed into a multitude of lively patterns. The figures literally become the units in the creation of pattern. At the end of the Pattern section, you will view objects that exemplify how calligraphy can also be expressed using the language of pattern.

34 Timeless Garden

Book Cover Frontispiece of a Qur’an Manuscript Illumination from Dakhirat al-muhtaj Lacquered with gold foliate decoration on Opaque watercolor, ink and gold on paper Manuscript red background, Iran, late 18th – early 19th Iran (Fars Province), 16th century, H. 31.4 cm Ink and colors on paper, Morocco, 18th century, H. 27.3 cm W. 37.8 cm, Collection W. 27.86 cm, The San Diego Museum of Art, century, H. 37 cm W. 25 cm of the Near East Section of the African Gift of Edwin Binney 3rd, 1971:64 Bibliothèque Nationale du Royaume du and Middle Eastern Division, Library of Maroc, Rabat, Ministère de la Culture du Congress, Washington D.C. Royaume du Maroc, Rabat, 518 G

creations. Natural patterns also imply the fruitfulness of Beauty of the Object God’s designs, as seen in Paradise, the ultimate place of The manuscript on the right presents a joyful setting for Divine presence. The arabesque pattern conveys a sense of the words of a prayer using the collage technique. The heaven’s gardens, forever blooming in timeless profusion. patchwork of architectural elements, geometry, calligraphy, and floral motifs unite to form a composition that creates the effect of a garden. Stylized trees crown the architectural Crossing Bridges structure, while inscriptions fit within its arches. The Prophet Although the arabesque is particular to the Islamic world, Muhammad’s footprint is also symbolically represented with the name was actually conceived in Europe during the flowers covering an entire page, creating a carpet-like effect Renaissance. It is a French word, derived from the Italian representing Paradise. arabesco, meaning “from the Arabs.” What is so fascinating about this network of intertwined stems, branching into Many of the manuscripts seen in this case employ the other stems and splitting into new leaves, is its ability to arabesque, a pattern derived from plants and flowers. visually symbolize eternity. The organic growth has the Often the foliage becomes so stylized that it is no longer potential to proliferate in unending multiplication, a suitable recognizable as a given species, thus becoming more metaphor for the everlasting nature of the Divine. symbolic than representational. ® How do other world religious visually represent that which never ends?

An Expression of Belief ® How does science represent infinity? (for example, the Patterns in Islamic art and culture usually, to some degree, number eight or the mobius strip) represent Deity. Patterns, particularly those derived from nature, like the arabesque, remind us of God’s endless

35 Window Moonlight (Qamariyya) or Sunlight (Shamsiyya), Stained glass and plaster, Egypt (Cairo), 15th – early 16th century H. 98.5 cm W. 61.3 cm D. 9.3 cm, The University of Penn- sylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, NEP 65

relevant here, as light exposes the natural world but hides Beauty of the Object that which cannot be seen—God, Himself. The properties In Islamic Culture, such windows were often used to of stained glass are also analogous to God’s nature, where embellish indoor sitting rooms. Not only did these windows the image itself is constant, as God is constant, but the filter natural light, but they graced the interior with colorful manifestations of its patterns are endless. patterns reflected from the stained glass. In the evenings, light from inside could also cast enchanting reflections onto the streets of the city. This type of window was popular in the Crossing Bridges Mamluk period (1250-1517 CE) in Egypt and Syria, both great Light is shared and embraced by many cultures as a symbol centers of glass making. Stained glass windows continued of the Divine. Can you think of such examples? Light, to be in vogue with the Ottomans and are still distinctive although it is not tangible, offers a sense of Divine presence. decorative features of Yemeni architecture. For many, light is an especially convincing metaphor for God because light is made up of electromagnetic radiation—a form of energy that travels through space. Furthermore, An Expression of Belief the speed of light, like the presence of Deity, is one of the fundamental constants in nature. Conversely, in many One of the main principles of pattern in Islamic art is the cultures the opposite of light, darkness, represents nefarious interplay of opposites—full and empty, light and dark, activity and evil presence. Even in movies and television the presence and absence. This principle of opposing forces hero traditionally wears white, while the villain is dressed in is especially evident in the medium of stained glass, black. Such stereotypes can be misleading, even harmful, as which alternately illuminates and hides in various degrees we recognize, instead, that it is the light within that defines depending on the source and quantity of light. The Islamic us, not the external appearance. principle of Batin (Invisible) and Dhahir (Visible) is especially

36 Textile Tray Cover Embroidered and appliquéd wool with silk threads Silk, sequins and metal wire, Turkey, late 18th Iran, circa 1900, Qajar, Diam. 157.5 cm, Courtesy of – early 19th century, Diam. 140 cm, The Textile Shangri La, Doris Duke Foundation or Islamic Art, Museum, Washington D.C., Gift of Mrs. Fred S. Honolulu, Hawaii, 85.78 Gichner, 1965.14.1

the earth rotates around the sun. This cosmic application Beauty of the Object can also be extended to the idea that God is the center of These textiles are covered in richly woven patterns seemingly all existence—a continuous circle with no beginning and no derived from the patterns in nature. The delicate designs on end. Likewise, in Islamic thought, God should be the center the brilliant red textile suggest the crystals of a snowflake. and focus of our individual lives and activities. On the tray cover, the pattern of swirling stems, lush leaves, and blooming branches neatly held with ribbon is reminiscent of wreaths—a motif that goes back to ancient Crossing Bridges Greece and Rome where they represented status and victory. ® How do you think pattern can be a reflection of nature? The type of embroidery using gold sequins and wires is still Can you think of some of the exquisite patterns found it used to decorate traditional bridal costumes in North Africa. nature? This textile, with its striking contrast of gold thread against a black ground, also shows the influence of European Rococo Every artist throughout the history of mankind has used the style, where patterns became increasingly ornate and patterns of nature as inspiration—spider webs, honeycombs, playful. snowflakes, sand dunes, crystals, and clouds, for example. New and exciting patterns have also emerged as science has revealed to us the macrocosm through its amazing telescopes, and the microcosm of infinitesimally small An Expression of Belief quantum structures such as the microscopic alga diatom The patterns of these two textiles, evoking patterns found shown above. The combinations and manifestations of in nature, seem to gravitate around a central point, just as patterns in nature are truly endless.

37 Arabesque

Capital Large Alhambra Vase with Kufic Inscription Carved marble, Falih, Spain (Madinat al-Zahra), 972–973 Earthenware, overglaze painted, Spain, 14th century, H. 90 cm W. 46 H. 38.2 cm W. 41.0 cm, The al-Sabah Collection, Dar al-Athar al- cm Diam. 126 cm, Private Collection, Europe Islamiyyah, Kuwait, LNS 2 S

The Kufic calligraphy on the vase reads: “There is no God but Beauty of the Object God” and “Power is to God.” Also, the words Fortune (al- This rare capital comes from the splendid Madinat al-Zahra, yumn) and Prosperity (al-iqbal) are alternately repeated. A a fortified Islamic palace-city located on the outskirts of further allusion to Paradise can be seen in the dense design Cordoba, Spain. Built between 936 and 940, the complex and floral decoration of palms that seamlessly incorporates included ceremonial reception halls, mosques, government figures of deer. offices, gardens, residences, and baths. The type of carved decoration on this capital returns to a Classical pre-Islamic style. Crossing Bridges The distribution of patterns on the vase—one third for the This vase is one of a group of twelve vases from the collar and two thirds for the body—follows an established fourteenth-century Alhambra Palace in the city of Granada, ratio known as the golden mean. First studied by ancient Spain, built by Muslim rulers. The vases were originally Greek mathematicians, this proportion, the so-called “rule positioned in pairs within niches. Their subtle ornamentation of the third,” has fascinated intellectuals throughout the in blue, green, yellow, and purple incorporates rich world for at least 2,400 years. It can be seen in mathematics, arabesque designs. architecture, and music. Leonardo da Vinci’s work on divine proportions led to the employment of the golden ratio in his paintings, such as the Mona Lisa. Nature also abounds in examples of this proportion—the arrangement of branches An Expression of Belief along the stems of plants, the patterns of the veins in our As with many Arabic inscriptions, those on both the capital bodies, the geometry of crystals, and the designs on shells. and vase are religious in nature. The capital begins by invoking the name of God and continues by asking that ® Can you think of other manifestations of this ratio in the the prolonged reign of the Imam (spiritual leader) might be world around you? (What about the proportions involved in blessed with well being, everlasting glory, and uninterrupted hanging a picture above your couch, or the ratio of pillows to joy. the rest of your bed? Think of your own physical proportions of head to torso and torso to toes.)

38 Geometry

Zellij Panel from the Badi’ Palace Carpet Polychrome earthenware mosaic, Morocco (Marrakesh), 1578– Wool, Egypt (Cairo), late 15th century, H. 188.5 cm W. 134.8 cm, The Textile 1593, Sa’did, H. 76.5 cm W. 76.5 cm, Ministère de la Culture du Museum, Washington D.C., Acquired by George Hewitt Myers in 1951 Royaume du Maroc, Rabat, Batha Museum, Fes, C.63 R16.1.3

Of all of the geometric shapes used in Islamic art, stars Beauty of the Object and octagons are among the most common. It is believed Zellij is a terra cotta tile work of chips set into plaster and that King Suleyman (Solomon) owned a ring with an eight- covered with enamel. The tradition of tile work flourished in pointed star stone, which he used to control the jinns. Morocco during the Middle Ages and continues today. The Furthermore, stars are associated with the cosmos geometric interpretations of this style are endless, with the and God’s numberless creations. use of the eight-pointed star being especially popular. Such tile work was used to embellish walls, ceilings, fountains, floors, tables, etc. Crossing Bridges The story of the Mamluk soldiers is an inspirational tale The Mamluk carpet combines geometric and stylized plant repeated throughout history among many cultures, where a motifs in red, green, and light blue—perhaps metaphors downtrodden people ultimately gains ascendency over their for rubies, emeralds, and sapphires. A rectangular panel oppressors. on either end of the carpet is filled with patterns of date palm trees alternating with cypress trees. These elements ® Can you think of any such historical examples? Why are we are surrounded by a border of alternating rosettes and especially drawn to this type of scenario where we root for diamonds. The suggestion of gemstones and the abundance the underdog? of plant life is a possible allusion to Paradise. The Mamluk soldiers were actually slaves, the consequence of a Muslim military practice begun in ninth-century Baghdad where slaves served in battle beside free men. The An Expression of Belief name “Mamluk” is actually derived from an Arabic word for Both the Zellij panel and the Mamluk carpet display an eight- “slave.” In 1250, the Mamluk generals seized control and pointed star. The complex geometric motifs surrounding the established a dynasty that ruled Egypt and Syria until 1517. stars in each instance create elegant kaleidoscopic patterns. The slaves had now become the sultans.

39 Mirror Back Tile with Twelve-pointed Star Mother-of-pearl, wood and ivory, Turkey, 18th century, Diam. 19.8 cm Ceramic mosaic with polychrome glaze, Iran (Isfahan), 15th century (point to point) D. 0.8 cm, Private Collection, London Diam. 62.23 cm, Seattle Art Museum, Eugene Fuller Memorial Collection, 39.61

make up the patterns are simple—circles, squares, stars, Beauty of the Object polygons—but the intricacy of their multiplying combinations With both mirror and tile, we again see the popularity of the are a metaphor for God and His infinite nature. In Islamic star motif in Islamic art. The mirror back reveals a geometric Thought, as one reflects upon these mesmerizing patterns, pattern that radiates out from a central star design. The a channel can be opened that allows momentary contact inlaid materials—wood, mother-of-pearl, and green-stained with the sacred—a fleeting sense of the sublime. ivory—add to the overall composition in a harmonious blend of colors and textures. During Ottoman times, it was believed that mirrors were to be used only in the daytime; Crossing Bridges consequently, after sunset the back of the mirror became its The star motif on the mirror is a geometric pattern based on face, and its rich decoration was then displayed and enjoyed. the numbers five and ten—a ten-pointed star in the center surrounded by ten five-pointed stars, giving the mirror The design of the twelve-pointed tile is structured around itself the shape of a decagon. Mathematically, the five- and a pair of interlaced stars. During the Timurid rule in Greater ten-fold geometry, frequent in Islamic art, connects with the Iran (1370-1506), such brilliantly glazed blue tiles were golden section and the Fibonacci numbers found throughout used to lavishly adorn architectural structures. The Timurids the natural world and symbolizes the harmony and unity were great patrons of the arts and constructed many grand of all life. It is astounding to recognize the degree to which buildings. mathematics plays an important and symbolic role in the patterns of Islamic art. Actually, the pure beauty of numbers continually surrounds us. An Expression of Belief ® Can you think of ways in which mathematics plays a role The complex geometry of pattern in Islamic art points to in your daily life? (Music, for example, can be thought of as the mathematics of the universe and its Divine origin—from numbers made audible.) the subatomic to the cosmic in spectrum. The shapes that

40 Window Frame Hispano-Moresque Panel Carved, decorated, turned and painted wood, Silk lampas, Spain (probably Granada), late Morocco (Meknes), 18th – 19th century, ‘Alawid, H. 177 14th century, H. 103.2 cm W. 37.1 cm, Saint Louis cm W. 112 cm, Ministère de la Culture du Royaume Art Museum, Museum Purchase, 52:1939 du Maroc, Rabat, Dar Jamai Museum, Meknes, 63.4.97

“beatitude” (al-ghibtah). More calligraphy appears on the Beauty of the Object narrow strips and translates as “good luck and prosperity.” The silk panel, probably produced in one of the renowned As we’ve seen, such good wishes are prevalent on the silk-weaving centers in Spain, displays an array of complex everyday objects of Islamic culture. Likewise, the window geometric patterns woven in an interplay of striking colors. includes an inscription in the upper central square: Several designs would have been stored on the draw loom “Mohammad’s blessing” in rectangular Kufic characters. at the same time, so the weaver could easily shift from one design to another on the same piece. The patterns are arranged in horizontal planes featuring the eight-pointed Crossing Bridges star as a key element. Islamic architectural interiors had very few furnishings, so textiles and windows such as these would have played This external window frame would have overlooked the an important role in decorating and illuminating living courtyard of a wealthy nineteenth-century house. The spaces. The concept of “clothing” the architectural space is geometric design, based on the eight-pointed star, is a vital part of Islamic culture; perhaps it is also a universal enhanced by a floral pattern and latticework. The art of inclination. carved wood latticework is a complex technique, demanding a high degree of accuracy in assembling the tiny pieces of ® Do you feel such a need to beautify your own personal wood to make the patterns. surroundings?

® What measures have you taken to decorate your dorm, An Expression of Belief home, or office? In the larger bands of the silk panel, Kufic calligraphy is woven in black against a red ground, repeating the word

41 The Word / A Rhythm of Repetition

Calligraphic Piece Silk Textile Colors on black paper with gold flecks, Possibly transcribed by Zayn al- Probably for use in the interior of the Ka’bah, Silk-satin, lampas Abidin al-Isfahani in 1802, Iran, H. 25.7 cm W. 18.5 cm, Wellcome Library, weave, Turkey (probably Bursa), circa 1800, H. 189.5 cm W. 67.3 cm, London, Wellcome Islamic Calligraphy 80 Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C., Purchase, S1996.62.1-2

rhythmic, chant-like cadences allow the viewer to meditate Beauty of the Object on the meanings of the sacred words. And yet, the rich In both of these objects, key words are embedded in a visual textures combine to suggest something even deeper feast of repeated patterns. The intricate calligraphic piece within the composition that might be disclosed through consists of Arabic sayings referring to the Prophet’s son-in- contemplative consideration. Perhaps the repetition of the law and cousin, ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib. The compositional balance word patterns awakens within us a sense of the order in and symmetry of the work is achieved in its horizontal and the universe. The words themselves are transformed into vertical, alternately colored bands of calligraphy. The style symbolic imagery that transcends language. has certainly inspired contemporary Islamic artists, and the abstract complexity reminds us of the American post-WWII movement of abstract expressionism. Crossing Bridges As poets throughout the ages can attest, the patterns of The brocaded silk-satin textile, embellished with inscriptions words are a type of universal music. The repeated rhythms in repeated zigzag bands in ivory silk thread on a red ground, of iambic pentameter, for example, become like an may have been created to decorate the interior of the Ka’bah incantation or chant. When words are embedded into the in Mecca. This type of zigzag-patterned textile, filled with patterns of visual language, the striking rhythms bring inscriptions of Qur’anic verses and invocations, also served additional energy and dynamism to the two-dimensional art as a cover for the Prophet Muhammad’s tomb in Medina. of calligraphy. The shapes and voids of the patterns are like By tradition, when the textiles used for sacred purposes are the sounds and silences of music. replaced, the fabrics are cut and distributed as cherished mementos that carry with them a blessing (barakah). ® Have you ever attempted to hear the music of the visual arts?

® Can you detect the rhythms of certain architectural An Expression of Belief structures or the melody of a landscape? These timeless, yet modern pieces use color, pattern, and composition to engage and captivate the viewer. The

42 No Beginning No End

Bowl with Kufic Characters “VAV + HWE” Qur’an Manuscript Earthenware, slip painted, Iran (Nishapur) Acrylic on canvas, Charles Hossein Zender- Ink, watercolor and gold on cream paper, or Central Asia, 10th century, H. 9.8 cm oudi (Iranian, b. 1937–), 1972, H. 200 cm W. Signed al-Nasir Isma’il ibn..al-Sayfi…Shahi, Diam. 26 cm, Seattle Art Museum, Eugene 200 cm, Private Collection, Middle East Egypt or Syria, dated 19 January 1346, H. Fuller Memorial Collection, 57.18 53.5 cm W. 43 cm D. 10.7 cm (when folded), The al-Sabah Collection, Dar al-Athar al- Islamiyyah, Kuwait, LNS 47 MS

showing the stars moving through the cosmos. Or perhaps Beauty of the Object the nature of the circular motion can be related to the ® Can you recognize what these three objects have in creation of the earth or the circumambulation around the common? Ka’bah during the annual pilgrimage (Hajj). But according to Islamic tradition, the most important compositional element Each has a central point around which everything else in each of these three works is the central point alluding to gravitates. The tenth-century bowl, for example, is the one God. embellished with bold Kufic calligraphy surrounding a single central dot. The calligraphy is so abstract that its meaning Crossing Bridges is now difficult to decipher. The designs of the painting and calligraphic scroll also radiate out from a central focal point. ® Can you identify why the project director/curator of this exhibition chose to complete your journey showing these The vibrant colors of VAV + HWE create a visual celebration particular works? that entices the viewer into its swirling center. The Farsi title, “Vav” means “by”; and the word “Hwe,” or “He,” usually You have seen only a small part of the richness of Islamic art refers to God. and culture—part of the whole, like the fragments in the first gallery. And yet you have crossed bridges of understanding ® Can you find meaning in this cryptic reference? that may forever deepen your appreciation for this vast and complex culture and its people. As you reach the final image of the exhibition—the projection of a detail from the same scroll that you encountered at the entrance to the An Expression of Belief exhibition—you have come full circle. The central inscription Each of these works is based on the repetition of a of the eight-pointed star consists of one of the names of continuously rotating pattern that has no beginning and no God, The Healer (al-shafi). end, like God Himself. The concentric circles of motion in VAV + HWE remind us of time-lapse telescopic photography ® How might this parting message be meaningful to you?

43 Project Director, Dr. Sabiha Al Khemir

Dr. Sabiha Al Khemir was born in Tunisia, educated in Tunis and London, and currently lives in New York. She is a writer, artist, and expert in Islamic art whose work is concerned with cultural bridging and dialogue.

She was the Founding Director of the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar. Dr. Al Khemir and her most recent historical novel, The Blue Manuscript, were featured at the 2009 National Book Festival, Washington, D.C. Written in English and translated into five languages; it is a tour de force that traces the search for the fabled manuscript by an international team on an archaeological dig in Egypt. Dr. Al Khemir also writes in French and Arabic and lectures internationally in all three languages.

She has produced documentaries broadcast on Channel 4, UK, and directed other exhibitions including From Cordoba to Samarkand, Louvre, 2006.

As a well-known artist, her art has been featured internationally, including in the United States. Her illustrative works include The Island of Animals and a number of book covers of well-known titles such as Respected Sir by the Nobel Prize-winning author Naquib Mahfouz.

Known for her commitment to achieving understanding through the respect of cultures and appreciation of beauty, Dr. Al Khemir brings a unique vision to art in particular and humanity in general.