This illuminated manuscript of the Ardashirnama reveals how 17th-century Iranian Jews visually and poetically emphasized their identities as both Iranian and Jewish.
Art of the Islamic world
Emeralds symbolized the exotic and the rare—the perfect emblem to encapsulate the wealth and aspirations of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan.
Shah Jahan’s portrait, emeralds, and the exotic ...
The medieval architecture and decoration of the Ben Ezra Synagogue reflect the Egyptian Jewish community's connections to the local visual culture.
The Ben Ezra Synagogue, Fustat, Egypt
This Muslim prayer carpet shares striking visual similarities to a Jewish carpet meant to cover the Torah ark
Ottoman prayer carpet with triple-arch design
Sinan, one of the most famous architects in the Ottoman Empire, draws inspiration from the Hagia Sophia and arguably surpasses it
Mimar Sinan, Şehzade Mosque, Istanbul
The Muradiye Mosque's interior is covered with wall paintings and colorful tiles—like a museum of fifteenth-century Ottoman architectural decoration.
Muradiye Mosque
Pages dyed pink, script from the Maghreb, and gold medallions make this Qu'ran especially spectacular
Bifolium from the Pink Qur’an
Mosques, tombstones, textiles, and murals are only a few examples of the art and architecture created on the Indian subcontinent in the sultanates.
Sultanate art and architecture, an introduction
The Ottoman Sultan Abdülhamid II understood the power of photographic representation.
Photograph of Abdülhamid II
Magnificent blue-and-white tiles adorn this room in the Topkapı Palace, Istanbul.
Topkapı Palace tiles
The Abbasid caliphs spared no expense to build a palatial city of grand buildings and sprawling residential complexes
Samarra, a palatial city
This tomb, built in 1570, is of particular cultural significance as it was the first garden-tomb on the Indian subcontinent.
Humayun’s tomb
Curious about the vibrant colors in Mughal paintings? Learn about the art of imperial painting here.
Exploring Color in Mughal Paintings
The Qutb archaeological complex and the Delhi Sultanate are important chapters in Indo-Islamic architectural history.
The Qutb complex and early Sultanate architecture
Much like modern souvenirs, these mementos of Christian, Muslim, and Jewish pilgrimage perpetuated pilgrims’ spiritual encounters, stimulating the reliving of the pilgrimage experience and their engagement with their faith.
Pilgrimage souvenirs
From lusterware ceramics to "Kufic" script to the engagement with classical scientific literature, the artistic legacies of the Abbasid caliphate are varied.
Arts of the Abbasid Caliphate
The madrasa-mosque of Sultan Hasan remains one of the most ingeniously designed mosques in the history of Islamic architecture.
Madrasa and Friday Mosque of Sultan Hasan, ...
Book bindings made in Egypt and Syria during the reign of the Mamluk Sultanate represent the pinnacle of Islamic book design.
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