'Classical' in Persian Painting: Models and Problems of Definition
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New Draft of Art Historiography Article
Regarding the exhibition: the Munich exhibition Masterpieces of Muhammadan Art (1910) and its scholarly position Eva-Maria Troelenberg ‘Muhammadan art’ in the Weltstadt It was the cultural event of the year 1910:1 on 14 May, the municipal exhibition ground in Munich’s Theresienhöhe opened its gates to an unprecedented and exotic event, the exhibition Masterpieces of Muhammadan Art. This mammoth undertaking featured more than 3,600 artworks from approximately 250 international collections, museums and institutions and was installed in eighty halls (figure 1). * This paper summarizes and partially expands some aspects of my dissertation, which is the first comprehensive and contextualized monograph on the Munich exhibition Masterpieces of Muhammadan Art (Meisterwerke muhammedanischer Kunst): Eva-Maria Troelenberg, Eine Ausstellung wird besichtigt. Die Münchner ‘Ausstellung von Meisterwerken muhammedanischer Kunst’ 1910 in kultur- und wissenschaftsgeschichtlicher Perspektive, Frankfurt and Berlin: Peter Lang, 2011. For the sake of brevity, I will not refer to every corresponding section of my own book in this paper. For specific facets of the Munich show see also the contributions in Andrea Lermer and Avinoam Shalem, eds, After One Hundred Years. The 1910 Exhibition ‘Meisterwerke muhammedanischer Kunst’ Reconsidered, Leiden and Boston: Brill, 2010; as well as the catalogue for the exhibition The Future of Tradition – The Tradition of Future, which was held at Haus der Kunst in Munich in 2010-11: see Chris Dercon, León Krempel and Avinoam Shalem, eds, The Future of Tradition – The Tradition of Future. 100 years after the exhibition Masterpieces of Muhammadan Art in Munich, Munich, London and New York: Prestel, 2010. Apart from these publications, which were prompted by the centenary of the event, and appeared almost simultaneously, the 1910 Munich exhibition had been addressed by several scholars who have touched upon it within larger contexts of art history, historiography or museology, most notably: David J. -
RADICAL ARCHIVES Presented by the Asian/Pacific/American Institute at NYU Curated by Mariam Ghani and Chitra Ganesh
a/p/a RADICAL ARCHIVES presented by the Asian/Pacific/American Institute at NYU curated by Mariam Ghani and Chitra Ganesh Friday, April 11 – Saturday, April 12, 2014 radicalarchives.net Co-sponsored by Asia Art Archive, Hemispheric Institute, NYU History Department, NYU Moving Image Archive Program, and NYU Archives and Public History Program. Access the Internet with NYU WiFi SSID nyuguest login guest2 password erspasta RADICAL ARCHIVES is a two-day conference organized around the notion of archiving as a radical practice, including: archives of radical politics and practices; archives that are radical in form or function; moments or contexts in which archiving in itself becomes a radical act; and considerations of how archives can be active in the present, as well as documents of the past and scripts for the future. The conference is organized around four threads of radical archival practice: Archive and Affect, or the embodied archive; Archiving Around Absence, or reading for the shadows; Archives and Ethics, or stealing from and for archives; and Archive as Constellation, or archive as method, medium, and interface. Advisory Committee Diana Taylor John Kuo Wei Tchen Peter Wosh Performances curated Helaine Gawlica (Hemispheric Institute) with assistance from Marlène Ramírez-Cancio (Hemispheric Institute) RADICAL ARCHIVES SITE MAP Friday, April 11 – Saturday, April 12 KEY 1 NYU Cantor Film Center 36 E. 8th St Restaurants Coffee & Tea 2 Asian/Pacific/American Institute at NYU 8 Washington Mews Cafetasia Cafe Nadery Oren’s 3 NYU Bobst -
Arabesques, Unicorns, and Invisible Masters: the Art Historian's Gaze
ARABESQUES, UNICORNS, AND INVISIBLE MASTERS 213 EVA-MARIA TROELENBERG ARABESQUES, UNICORNS, AND INVISIBLE MASteRS: THE ART HISTORIAN’S GAZE AS SYMPTOMATIC ACTION? Is it still true that art history, traditionally understood as be to look at these objects. As Margaret Olin has argued, an explicitly object-based discipline, lacks a thorough “The term ‘gaze’ … leaves no room to comprehend the understanding of an “action tradition” that could be em- visual without reference to someone whose vision is un- ployed to explain and theorize, for example, artistic der discussion.”3 Although she refers generally to the agency? And that therefore art history, as opposed to gaze of all possible kinds of beholders, viewers, or spec- other disciplines such as sociology or linguistic studies, tators, she also stresses: “While most discourse about the has found it particularly difficult to look at its own his- gaze concerns pleasure and knowledge, however, it gen- toriography in terms of academic or scholarly action or erally places both of these in the service of issues of agency? Such explanations were employed until quite power, manipulation, and desire”; furthermore, “The recently when expounding the problem of a general de- choice of terms from this complex can offer a key to the lay in critical historiography concerning the discipline’s theoretical bent or the ideology of the theorist.”4 Ac- traditions and methods, particularly in relation to Ger- cordingly, an action-based theory of historiography man art history under National Socialism.1 must find -
ROCCO-CUAJ-PDF.Compressed.Pdf
The career of Timur (1336-1405) as Amir its construction is evidence of a building of Central Asia was marked by an campaign carried out first and foremost in ambitious quest for power and legitimacy pursuit of competition in traditional terms within two traditions: the Chaghataytid, with past examples: the subsequent Turco-Mongol one, and the Islamic.1 residences Timur erected were gardens Scholars have long agreed that a part of studded with pavilions which therefore this enterprise of legitimisation was preserved a nomadic flavour, tents for pursued by means of architectural accommodation being erected and the patronage.2 Others have posited that delights of nature fully enjoyed.4 Timur’s choice to establish Samarqand as A ruined monumental ayvan – a a capital city was evidence of him giving span of some twenty-two meters and a up the Mongol nomadic principle of height of over thirty metres, the largest mobility and his recognition of the extant Islamic ayvan – is all that has importance of sedentariness to imperial survived from the Aq Saray (Fig. 1A, 1B rule.3 In the city of Shahrisabz or Kesh, and 2A, 2B). By definition, an ayvan is a an important centre already under the large vaulted hall which may be walled ancient Sogdians (sixth to eleventh on three sides and opening directly on century BC) and close to his birthplace, the outside on the fourth. The side Timur built the Aq Saray (literally, “White opposite to the one opening to the Palace”, probably denoting its noble, outside can present, like it seems it was royal nature). -
MEMORIES of the PAST ? 'Classical' Or 'Sunni Revival' In
MEMORIES OF THE PAST ? ‘Classical’ or ‘Sunni Revival’ in Architecture and Art in Syria between the Mediterranean and Iran in the 12th and 13th centuries Paper presented at the International Symposium on ‘The Islamic Civilization in the Mediterranean’ Lefkosa, Northern Cyprus, December 1-4, 2010 Stefan Heidemann, New York Abstract The 12th century saw a revival of Sunni Islam in the cities of Syria and northern Mesopotamia. It is also the period of muqarnas and geometrical star-pattern in Islamic art. Seemingly contradictory at the same time, Turkish princes adopted classical decorative forms in northern Mesopotamia and Syria; we find Greek, Roman, and Byzantine figural images on coins and decorative arts. Do we have a 'Classical Revival' (Terry Allen) or a proto-Renaissance comparable to Southern Italy and Sicily? What role do these images play in the cultural me- mory (Jan Assmann) and who is addressed? We do not find, however, any reference to the classicizing style in contemporary literature nor are there any people who seem to feel connected with classical antiquity. Other explanations have to be explored. With the economic blossoming in the middle decades of the 12th century, common Mediterranean forms and architectural decorations surfaced again. A continuity of classical forms is most visible in Fatimid Egypt. Muqarnas and geometrical star pattern arrived with the Iranian Saljuq elite in the Mediterranean. The new economic blossoming allowed a revitali- zation of regional classicizing traditions which can be interpreted as a renewal -
Reading Carpet and Architectural Common Aspects
Reading Carpet and Architectural common aspects Arefeh Behzadi Rad1, Javad Divandari2* 1Master of Science (MSc), Department of Architecture, Islamic Azad University, Kashan, Iran. 2Assistant Professor, Department of Architecture, University of Kashan, Iran. Correspondence: Ziba Borzabadi Farahani, Assisstant Professor, Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. ABSTRACT The ancient Persian religion and customs that has been entered the people's life of this land is playing an undeniable role in the carpets design. What's more all about the connection between the carpet and the architecture is the mystical and Iranian twists from both original arts which is exacerbated and has certain originality. This article aims to identify architecture and carpet, their features and study the relationship between these two arts in the Islamic civilization of Iran with matching the symbols and signs used in it in order to achieve the meanings of the hidden unit in arts. It was written by relying on handed manuscripts resources and visiting carpet weaving workshops and architecture. This is a fundamental question how to make Link between both original and traditional art architecture and carpet. Comprehensive attention and review in overall design of the carpet presentation with its similarity to architecture, expresses the fundamentals of common principles. It provides a table on the plan formation of two original Iranian arts. This article seeks to identify common aspects between Iranian noble arts. Keywords: Common aspects, Carpet, Architecture, Communication of arts with each oder. Introduction civilization. They are familiar with the most natural human emotions and beliefs. -
What Do We Mean When We Say Islamic Art?
What do we mean when we say ‘Islamic art’? A plea for a critical rewriting of the history of the arts of Islam Avinoam Shalem In a book published in 2008, Arnold Hottinger provocatively asserted that as far as the Western stance toward Islam is concerned, Islam does not exist.1 He argued correctly that it is pure fiction to speak about Islam using one sole, monolithic and global term. Moreover, he added that the desire to see in the wide-ranging and diverse ‘worlds of Islam’ a homogenous sphere called Islam is simply an abstract cognitive notion, which, as with any general concept, has its sole origin in the mind of the person who creates this concept or theory. It is quite clear, then, that Hottinger, like many other scholars of Islamic studies, developed his ideas in the critical ‘Post-Edwardian Era’; that is, the period following the death of Edward Said in 2003, in which renewed discussion has taken place around his renowned book Orientalism, first published in 1978.2 The ‘imaginary Orient’, as termed by Linda Nochlin in 1983,3 is not restricted to Western literature but impinges on many other fields and is undoubtedly rooted in the history of European thought, especially in the construction of the image of its major ‘Other’ and the creation of its own historical narrative. And yet, this critical notion can and should also be applied to the field of art history in general, and to the construction of the field of Islamic art history within the larger discipline of Western art history in particular. -
Mathematics and Meaning in the Structure and Composition of Timurid Miniature Painting
PERSICA XIX, 2003 MATHEMATICS AND MEANING IN THE STRUCTURE AND COMPOSITION OF TIMURID MINIATURE PAINTING Sarah Chapman University of Edinburgh INTRODUCTION Even at first glance many Timurid miniature paintings reveal a strong sense of pattern and organization on which much of their overall dynamism depends. One can see the repetition of geometric shapes created by the figures, the very static and linear nature of much of the architecture, and the feeling of proportion and harmony in their composition. The obvious deliberation in their structure suggests that they may have been precisely planned and may even adhere to some kind of mathematical formula. The formal qualities of Persian miniature painting have been remarked on many times, and many techniques and conventions have been identified by scholars. Of particular rel- evance to this investigation are the studies of Guest,1 Zain,2 Adle,3 and Stchoukine.4 Guest identifies the importance of text panels in the calculation of important measurements and relationships within Persian painting, and discusses the repetition of certain measurements and distances as “a kind of counterpoint throughout the design.”5 Zain further investigates the relationship between text and painting, identifies certain formulaic tendencies in the building of Timurid compositions, and discusses the presence of a “hidden structural line” in many paintings which “guide” our experience as a viewer.6 Adle and Stchoukine both investigate the ‘mathematical’ nature of Persian painting in some detail: Adle finds, like Guest, the repetition of certain measurements and goes on to describe a modular system for the organization of hunting and sporting scenes especially. -
Eulogy for Dr. Ehsan Yarshater•
178 November - December 2018 Vol. XXVII No. 178 Remembering Professor Ehsan Yarshater • Iranian Novels in Translation • PAAIA National Survey 2018 • Second Annual Hafez Day 2018 • Mehregan Celebration • Nutrition During Pregnancy • Menstrual Cramps • Eulogy For Dr. Ehsan Yarshater • No. 178 November-December 2018 1 178 By: Shahri Estakhry Since 1991 Persian Cultural Center’s Remembering Professor Ehsan Yarshater (1920-2018) Bilingual Magazine Is a bi - monthly publication organized for th When we heard the news of the passing of Professor Ehsan Yarshater on September 20 , our last literary, cultural and information purposes issue of Peyk was at the print shop and we could not pay our deepest respect in his memory at Financial support is provided by the City of that time. Although, many tributes in Persian and English have been written in his memory, we San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture. too would like to remember him with great respect and great fondness. Persian Cultural Center I had the pleasure of meeting him and his wife, Latifeh, in 1996 when, at the invitation of the 6790 Top Gun St. #7, San Diego, CA 92121 Persian Cultural Center they came to San Diego and he gave a talk about the Persian civilization Tel (858) 552-9355 and the Encyclopedia Iranica. While listening to him, mesmerized by his presentation, there was Fax & Message: (619) 374-7335 Email: [email protected] no doubt for anyone that here was a man of true knowledge and great integrity. How privileged www.pccsd.org we were to be in the audience. He was an extraordinary man of accomplishments, easy to respect, easy to hold in your heart with adoration. -
Studies and Sources in Islamic Art and Architecture
STUDIES AND SOURCES IN ISLAMIC ART AND ARCHITECTURE SUPPLEMENTS TO MUQARNAS Sponsored by the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts. VOLUME IX PREFACING THE IMAGE THE WRITING OF ART HISTORY IN SIXTEENTH-CENTURY IRAN BY DAVID J. ROXBURGH BRILL LEIDEN • BOSTON • KÖLN 2001 This book is printed on acid-free paper. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Roxburgh, David J. Prefacing the image : the writing of art history in sixteenth-century Iran / David J. Roxburgh. p. cm. — (Studies and sources in Islamic art and architecture. Supplements to Muqarnas, ISSN 0921 0326 ; v. 9) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 9004113762 (alk. papier) 1. Art, Safavid—Historiography—Sources. 2. Art, Islamic—Iran– –Historiography—Sources. 3. Art criticism—Iran—History—Sources. I. Title. II. Series. N7283 .R69 2000 701’.18’095509024—dc21 00-062126 CIP Die Deutsche Bibliothek - CIP-Einheitsaufnahme Roxburgh, David J.: Prefacing the image : the writing of art history in sixteenth century Iran / by David J. Roxburgh. – Leiden; Boston; Köln : Brill, 2000 (Studies and sources in Islamic art and architectue; Vol 9) ISBN 90-04-11376-2 ISSN 0921-0326 ISBN 90 04 11376 2 © Copyright 2001 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission from the publisher. Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal use is granted by Brill provided that the appropriate fees are paid directly to The Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Suite 910 Danvers MA 01923, USA. -
Arab Scholars and Ottoman Sunnitization in the Sixteenth Century 31 Helen Pfeifer
Historicizing Sunni Islam in the Ottoman Empire, c. 1450–c. 1750 Islamic History and Civilization Studies and Texts Editorial Board Hinrich Biesterfeldt Sebastian Günther Honorary Editor Wadad Kadi volume 177 The titles published in this series are listed at brill.com/ihc Historicizing Sunni Islam in the Ottoman Empire, c. 1450–c. 1750 Edited by Tijana Krstić Derin Terzioğlu LEIDEN | BOSTON This is an open access title distributed under the terms of the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license, which permits any non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided no alterations are made and the original author(s) and source are credited. Further information and the complete license text can be found at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ The terms of the CC license apply only to the original material. The use of material from other sources (indicated by a reference) such as diagrams, illustrations, photos and text samples may require further permission from the respective copyright holder. Cover illustration: “The Great Abu Sa’ud [Şeyhü’l-islām Ebū’s-suʿūd Efendi] Teaching Law,” Folio from a dīvān of Maḥmūd ‘Abd-al Bāqī (1526/7–1600), The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The image is available in Open Access at: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/447807 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Krstić, Tijana, editor. | Terzioğlu, Derin, 1969- editor. Title: Historicizing Sunni Islam in the Ottoman Empire, c. 1450–c. 1750 / edited by Tijana Krstić, Derin Terzioğlu. Description: Boston : Brill, 2020. | Series: Islamic history and civilization. studies and texts, 0929-2403 ; 177 | Includes bibliographical references and index. -
Curriculum Vitae: Oleg Grabar
CURRICULUM VITAE: OLEG GRABAR Date of Birth: November 3, 1929, Strasbourg, France Secondary Education: Lycées Claude Bernard and Louis-le-Grand, Paris Higher Education: Certificat de licence, Ancient History, University of Paris (1948) B.A. (magna cum laude), Harvard University, Medieval History (1950) Certificats de licence, Medieval History and Modern History, University of Paris (1950) M.A. (1953) and Ph.D. (1955), Princeton University, Oriental Languages and Literatures and History of Art Fellow, 1953-54, American School of Oriental Research, Jerusalem, Jordan PROFESSIONAL HISTORY: Academic 1954-69 University of Michigan: 1954-55 Instructor; 1955-59 Assistant Professor of Near Eastern Art and Near Eastern Studies; 1959-64 Associate Professor; 1964-69 Professor; 1966-67 Acting Chairman, Department of the History of Art. 1969-90 Harvard University: 1969-1980 Professor of Fine Arts; 1973-76 Head Tutor, Department of Fine Arts; 1975-76 Acting Co-Master of North House; 1977-82 Chairman, Department of Fine Arts; 1980-90 Aga Khan Professor of Islamic Art and Architecture; Professor Emeritus since 1990. 1990- Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton: Professor, School of Historical Studies. (1990-1998); Professor Emeritus (1998-). Other 1957-70 Near Eastern Editor, Ars Orientalis 1958-69 Honorary Curator of Near Eastern Art, Freer Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Institute 1960-61 Director, American School of Oriental Research, Jerusalem, Jordan 1964-69 Secretary, American Research Institute in Turkey 2 1964-72 Director, Excavations at Qasr al-Hayr