Islamic Art

Art, in its simplest definition, is the creation of images or objects. Islamic art has throughout history been mainly abstract and floral, portraying geometric shapes or Arabesque and calligraphic designs because of the strict injunctions against the depiction of living things. Islamic Art as a whole is comprised of visual arts produced 7th century onwards. This term not only describes art made in the service of Islam or by Muslim artists, but also secular art originating from those lands which were ruled by Muslims or where majority of the population was Muslim. Therefore, Islamic Art covers many people and lands over a period of 1400 years and with that the medium and type of art differ from place to place, too.
The most trivial problem of expression in Islamic art took root in the fact that the center of Islam, Allah, cannot be depicted visually [“All you believe Him to be, He is not.”] Hence, innovative techniques such as geometric patterns were used for this expression.
With the expansion of Islamic Empire came the influences of new civilisations and cultures that assimilated into Muslim art and culture paving way for a unique style of Islamic Art. Thus, over the period of 1400 years Islamic Art has taken many different forms, under different rulers and in different lands. The timeline that this paper will follow is:
1. Dynasty Art
• Umayyad Dynasty
• Abbasid Dynasty
2. Medieval Period (9th to 15th century)
• Spain and the Arab Maghreb
• Iran and Central Asia
• Syria
• South Asia
3. Empires
• Ottoman Empire
• Mughal Empire
The Umayyad Period is considered the most influential period in Islamic Art. The dynasty was founded by Mu‘awiya I bin Abi Sufyan in 661 A.D. and was overthrown by the Abbasids in 750 A.D. Some of the most formidable Islamic Art came out of this point in history. Under Umayyad rule hints of Byzantine and Sassanian as well as Coptic Art influenced Islamic Art. It is for this reason art under Umayyad rule is an innovative