Muslim Art, Literature and Architecture

1. Muslim Art, Literature and Architecture By: Allison Kenny and Alyssa Tompkins

2. Poetry and Tales of Adventure • The Bases of Arab Poetry • Used to chant the dangers of desert journeys, battles, or glories • Two important themes: chivalry and roman of nomadic life • Later, poetry was used to explain religious and secular themes

3. Poetry and Tales of Adventure • Poets • Rabiah al-Adawiyya: “If I worship Thee in hope of Paradise / Exclude me from Paradise” • Firdawsi: Shah Namah, or the Book of Kings, which tells the Persian history • Omar Khayyam: scholar and astronomer, The Rubaiyat – four-line stanzas that focus on fate

4. Poetry and Tales of Adventure • Storytelling • Stories came from Indian, Persian, Greek, Egyptian, and Turkish culture • Best-know set of stories is The Thousand and One Nights • Some of these stories were heard in Europe and became known as “Aladdin and His Magic Lamp” or “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves”

5. Religious Buildings • Domed mosques • High minarets • Domes and arches became symbolic for Muslim Architecture -Adopted from Byzantine buildings • Wall of mosques were decorated with calligraphy - Often times verses from the Quran were written on the walls as decoration

7. Nonreligious Art • Muslim artists painted human and animal figures • Arabic scientific works often included those of the human body; the artist would lavishly illustrate • Literary works showed stylized figures of humans

8. Work Cited • http://www.essential-architecture.com/STYLE/STY-Muslim-Persian.htm • http://www.mosaicmatters.co.uk/features/islambyzantium.htm • http://ac-investor.blogspot.com/2009/04/top-3-most-beautiful-places-on-earth.html • http://morocco-marrakech-tripadvisor.blogspot.com/