Islamic calligraphy: the Kufic style
As mentioned in the first post about Islamic calligraphy, various types of scripts are used to write the Arabic alphabet. The oldest one is the Kufic style which originated from Kufa, Iraq. This
Islamic art history: the Abbasid dynasty
After overthrowing the Umayyad dynasty in 750, the Abbasids took over the power. They moved the capital to Baghdad in Iran and established another city called Samarra. These cities became the cultural and
Islamic art history: the Umayyad dynasty
Following the death of the prophet Mohammad (632), four caliphs (successors) took part in the spread of Islam. However, after the 4th caliph, Ali ibn Abi Talib, passed away in 661, Mu’awiya
Islamic floral patterns
Flower patterns are one of the components of Islamic art. The arabesque, which means "in the Arab fashion" in French, is a well-known Islamic art design. It is a combination of interlacing and
Islamic calligraphy
Islamic calligraphy can be defined as the artistic practice of writing in the Arabic alphabet's languages (Arabic, Persian, Ottoman, Urdu). It is considered to be the essential element of Islamic art. Calligraphy can
Islamic geometric patterns
As seen in the first post (introduction to Islamic art), geometric patterns are one of the three non-figural elements of Islamic art, including calligraphy and floral designs. Geometric patterns are prominently connected with
Introduction to Islamic art
Islamic art encompasses the visual art created by Muslims and non-Muslims who lived in Muslim countries. This art has gone through numerous style iterations in different countries from the 7th century onward. Thus,