Book bindings made in Egypt and Syria during the reign of the Mamluk Sultanate represent the pinnacle of Islamic book design.
Medieval period
Fatimid goldsmiths may have been inspired to use cloisonné enamel-work by imitating contemporary enameled gold jewelry from Byzantium.
Gold pendant with inset enamel decoration
Located at the crossroads of several trade routes from the 2nd millennium B.C., Aleppo was ruled successively by the Hittites, Assyrians, Arabs, Mongols, Mamelukes and Ottomans
Aleppo
he exquisite, lidded container is sculpted out of ivory and dated to the mid-10th century during the reign of the Umayyad dynasty in Spain.
Khalaf, Pyxis
A conservator at the V&A discusses new discoveries that have uncovered new information on their materials, techniques, history and provenance
Conservation: The Nasrid plasterwork collection at the ...
Alexander, the Mongols, and the great epic of Iran.
Folio from a Shahnama, The Bier of ...
In this hunting scene from the Persian Book of Kings, the ruler Bahram lives up to his nickname “Gur,” or swift.
Bahram Gur Fights the Karg (Horned Wolf)
Vessels like this one were typically decorated with calligraphy, but a procession of figures is featured here.
Mohammed ibn al-Zain, Basin (Baptistère de Saint ...
This prayer niche once pointed students towards Mecca. Its blue and white patterns comprise verses from the Qur’an.
Mihrab from Isfahan (Iran)
These stucco statues, with vivid costumes and distinctive round faces, may once have guarded a grand hall.
Two Royal Figures
Made for a Christian ruler by Islamic artisans, this cloak is full of Islamic motifs and cosmological references.
Coronation Mantle
The Islamic world turned writing into an art, but it’s the decoration, not the script, that sets these folios apart.
Mamluk Qur’an
These two paintings illustrate the same story, but in different styles—as rulers changed, so did tastes for art.
Bahram Gur in a Peasant’s House
This city within a city is famed for its three highly decorative palaces and their equally elaborate gardens.
The Alhambra
Once painted and gilded, this panel was part of a larger frieze bearing commemorative Kufic inscriptions.
Dado Panel, Courtyard of the Royal Palace ...
This florid box, designed to hold cosmetics, attests to the rich ivory carving tradition of Islamic Spain.
Pyxis of al-Mughira
The lavish materials used for this manuscript convey both its patron’s wealth and the sacred text’s dignity.
Folio from a Qur’an
This sprawling and magnificent mosque, in Iran, has been an integral part of the city’s fabric for centuries.
The Great Mosque (or Masjid-e Jameh) of ...
New rulers emerged, and with them, distinctive styles of art. This period saw a renaissance in the decorative arts.
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