#islamic geometric pattern

[xponentialdesign]

بلاط أربعة أضعاف

[marsjoram]

sobs. geometry is so beautiful

[laiqverse]

The Holy Quran and Graphic Design: An Artistic Approach to Spreading the Message

The Holy Quran is a revered and cherished text for Muslims, containing the word of Allah as revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. Throughout history, the Quran has not only served as a source of spiritual guidance but also inspired countless artists and designers. In recent years, graphic design has emerged as a new and exciting medium for the expression and interpretation of Quranic verses. This…

[diaadxz]

A wall painting representing the Ottoman era Aluminum Composite Panels

A wall painting reflecting the Uthman era would capture the elegance and growth of the Islamic Golden Age, emphasizing themes of unity, justice, and expansion. The artwork could depict caligraphy of Quranic verses symbolizing Uthman’s significant contribution to compiling the Quran, alongside scenes of flourishing trade routes, scholarly gatherings, and architectural wonders like mosques and markets. Rich geometric patterns and arabesque designs might be intertwined with representations of the peaceful governance and advancements in culture, technology, and commerce that defined Uthman’s leadership in the early Islamic period.

Get the plate here

[hsmagazine254]

Enriching Your Home: Incorporating Islamic Art into Your Living Space

Elevating Aesthetics: Infusing Islamic Art into Your Home Décor Creating a home that resonates with cultural richness is a beautiful journey. In this article, we explore the artistry of incorporating Islamic art into your home, adding both aesthetic charm and spiritual significance to your living space. Understanding Islamic Art 1. Calligraphy as a Focal Point Islamic calligraphy is a timeless…

[torazii]

Recreated whirling in rag‘s floor for if someone wants if to use it for backgrounds or dnd etc.

Made a discovery on whirling‘s floor (with @ieilaf )

The patterns are based on zellij patterns found in Islamic architecture. A mosaic tilework made from very pretty and colourful geometric shapes. These floor patterns make up the pre-revolution martinaise ground. I actually found the exact patterns they used in the whirling online after making my own tiles before the discovery ermmm 😬😬

I‘m pretty sure the tiles are sourced from textures.com, here are the links to the tiles the game used:

>Teal grid with yellow octograms tiles

>Black, yellow, green and blue checkered tiles

>Black grid with white octogram tiles

>Angled squares forming white diamonds

here are my tiles feel free to use

[mothmiso]

Shah-i Zinda. Samarkand, Uzbekistan (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) by Caspar Tromp

Via Flickr:

The Shah-i-Zinda is a necropolis that grew around the legendary grave of Qutham ibn Abas, a cousin of the prophet Muhammad. From the late 14th century onwards, Amir Timur ordered the construction of various mausoleums for mainly his female relatives. The result is a small city for the dead, covered with magnificent blue tile mosaics in various Islamic geometric patterns.    

[pmamtraveller]

LUDWIG DEUTSCH - THE PALACE GUARD, 1892

The painting depicts a palace guard standing in an ornate, richly decorated setting typical of Middle Eastern or North African architecture. He is dressed in traditional attire that includes a yellow cloak draped over his shoulder, a chainmail shirt, and a blue skirt-like garment. The guard holds a long spear with a decorative top, which leans against the wall beside him.The background features detailed tile work with geometric patterns and an archway, indicative of Islamic architectural influence. At the guard's feet, there are a pair of red shoes, which might indicate that he has removed them out of respect for the sacred space he's guarding.

Deutsch's multiple trips to Egypt provided him with firsthand exposure to the culture, architecture, and daily life of the region. His visits allowed him to gather authentic visual references, which were crucial for the detailed and accurate depiction of this masterpiece. The guard's attire, the architectural setting, and cultural nuances like the removal of shoes are direct results of his observations during these travels.

By 1893, Deutsch was at the height of his career. His works were being regularly exhibited in prestigious salons in Paris, where he had moved in 1870. This period was one of recognition and success, with his detailed and exotic depictions gaining popularity among collectors and the public. Critics appreciated the meticulous depiction of textures, fabrics, and architectural elements, which showcased his mastery of the medium. His ability to capture the essence of the exotic and romanticized East was also praised.

[ventresses]

Is Ryloth based on Algeria?

A while back, some friends and I had an interesting discussion about why Star Wars has the Twi'lek speak with French accent, and the implication that Ryloth could perhaps be inspired by a country formerly colonized by France.

We discovered there were A LOT of parallels between Ryloth and the country of Algeria

Political History & Colonialism

Algeria became a colony of France after they invaded it in 1830. Their conquest of Algeria has been called a genocide, and they perpetrated countless atrocities- starvation, epidemics, retaliation for resistance, etc. During that time period, there were popular revolts against the French occupation, and insurgent groups, guerilla warfare, etc., particularly in the decade prior to their independence, which Algerians finally won in 1962.

Ryloth's rulers/most powerful political official(s) are always shown as off-world, corrupt, disconnected from the life and struggles of its people, and allowing the people and resources of the planet to exploited. First, this is under Senator Orn Free Taa, then Separatist occupation, then the Empire.

Throughout that same history of oppression and exploitation, we also see armed resistance movements and guerilla fighters, like the Twi'lek Resistance and the Free Ryloth Movement.

Geography

Algeria is the largest country in Africa. It contains a significant portion of the Sahara Desert, and hosts many impressive rock formations.

Ryloth is a large planet on the Outer Rim. Whenever we see Ryloth on-screen, it almost always shows the desert, is peppered with incredible rock formations, gorges, etc.

Architecture

The homes and structures we see on Ryloth are reminiscent of traditional &/or vernacular mud-brick architecture in Algeria and its neighbor, Morocco. For example:

The Syndulla House

Numa's Village (from The Clone Wars S1E20)

The Capital City (from The Clone Wars S1E21)

Interior Design

We also see themes and details that are strongly reminiscent of Islamic architecture in, for example, the design of the Syndulla family's home.

This is also true of simpler homes, like the ones in Numa's village from The Clone Wars, which utilize subtle geometric motifs and Arabesque patterned windows.

Art

Mosaic art was one of the hallmarks of Roman and Byzantine and Islamic Empires, all of which Algeria was part of, and had their history and culture influenced by.

The Syndulla family portrait is a mosaic.

Head Coverings

The vast majority of Algerians identify as Muslim. It's very common practice for Muslim women to wear the hijab, which covers their hair.

Every time we see a female Twi'lek on-screen she is wearing a head-band or head-covering. We very rarely see male Twi'lek do so.

Language and Accents

As a remnant of the legacy of French colonialism, French is widely spoken and understood in Algeria, though its official language is Arabic.

Many Twi'lek speak Galactic Basic, and do so with a French-sounding accent, though Twi'leki is their native language.

Anything else?

[tamamita]

If you don't mind I have a question about Islamic culture, I'm thinking about how Christians have statues of Christ and saints, other religions have statues of the Buddah and Hindu gods, it's a very common thing across many religions. Judaism doesn't really have that as far as I know but there aren't really prophets in the same way as xtianity. But Islam does have various prophets and significant historical figures, but I have never seen any statues made in their images. Is this a thing, not allowed or just not culturally uh, common I guess? Thank you :3

Islam has always pertained to a rather iconoclastic tradition and has shown fierce opposition to visual imagery in various forms, while some schools and branches of Islam are not as strict. Historically, alternative forms of art have been produced as a result. Indeed, Islamic art are traditionally non-representational in the form of Islamic calliography and Islamic geometric patterns, which is usually seen in mosque, shrines and various Islamic buildings.

The basis for the impermissibility of such visual imagery in the form of sculptures or carved objects representing a living being is rooted in Islam's strict monotheistic approach. The nascent Muslim community had to deal with the polytheist tribe of Quraish which worshiped idols in the form of sculptures. The Prophet Muhammed (sawas) showed disdain for such worshiping and exemplified their uselessness to the people by throwing them to the ground.

However, while sculpturing is pretty much a non-go, this impermissibility is not extended to art in the form of two-dimensional figures. While various schools of Islam differ in the opinion of drawing, not all of them are unanimous, this has allowed for Islamic art to take the shape of form in different ways. For example, Shi'a Islam allows visual respresentation through the use of a two-dimensional surface, such as a canvas, regardless of whether it is a living being or not. This is why you'll find that art of the prophets, imams and the holy ladies are pretty commonplace among Shi'a Muslims.

While sculpturing any object representing a living being is unanimously considered impermissible in all Islamic schools of law, art in the form two-dimensional paintings are not.

[r1-jw-lover]

Official John Wick Major Arcana tarot cards featuring Chapter 4 characters

Art by Julien Rico Jr, in collaboration with Lionsgate.

Sources: nerdsloveart, behance

Image descriptions below the cut:

[Start ID: 22 images featuring characters and locations from the movie "John Wick: Chapter 4" as Major Arcana tarot cards. The drawings are in black and white against a sandy beige background, and has plenty of circle motives. Roman numerals are at the top, their corresponding card title at the bottom, and the movie title "John Wick: Chapter 4" on the bottom left margin.

0: The number zero, or unnumbered, tarot card features Killa Harkan played by Scott Adkins as "The Fool". Killa is holding a 2 of spades between two fingers while giving a smug smile that shows off his set of golden teeth. He wears a ring on his right hand and the other hand is holding a stack of cards. Behind Killa is a minimalistic design resembling a casino token with details such as the diamond and clover symbols, as well as the numbers on the dice. In front of Killa is a table with two piling stacks of casino tokens, a gun, and the shadow of John Wick's head looming over a large portion of the table.

1: The number one tarot card features The Tracker or Mr. Nobody played by Shamier Anderson as "The Magician". Mr. Nobody has a smug expression on his face and is holding his rifle in a way that lets it rest slung over his shoulder. By his side is Mr. Nobody's Belgian Malinois. The backdrop consists of simplistic, grayish graphics of map vectors cropped into several circles of different sizes. There is a white-coloured infinity symbol on top of Mr. Nobody's head.

2: The number two tarot card features Rooney, aka The Ballerina, who first appeared in "John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum", as "The High Priestess". Rooney's back is facing towards us as she's performing a ballet move on a circular stage. Rooney is wearing a white crown and a dress that shows the cross tattoo on her back. In the backdrop, where Rooney's face is looking towards, are curtains with the initials "JW" written on the far ends of the frame.

3: The number three tarot card features Katia played by Natalia Tena as "The Empress". With a cool expression on her face, Katia is leaning forward against a set of railings, giving off a domineering aura. Katia is wearing a metallic necklace and a cross on her neck. Behind Katia is the crest of the Ruska Roma and a line in Russian circling around it.

4: The number four tarot card features The Bowery King played by Laurence Fishburne as "The Emperor". The Bowery King is sitting on a throne, but behind him is a pair of eyes staring menacingly at us. In front of him is a logo design with the same pair of eyes, though rendered smaller and appear less menacing, with an X crossed in between and a horizontal line capping the top of the X. At the Bowery King's feet, a few pigeons are shown in the foreground while the Brooklyn Bridge appear in the background.

5: The number five tarot card features The Elder as "The Hierophant". Behind the Elder is an Islamic floral design which extends into a more geometrical pattern. Standing in the background are two of the Elder's men.

6: The number six tarot card features John and Helen Wick, played by Keanu Reeves and Bridget Moynahan, as "The Lovers". John and Helen are smiling brightly towards each other in front of a New York night cityscape backdrop, with the Empire States building separating them at the centre. Above John and Helen is a silhouette of them pressed against each other about to kiss in front of a bright sun with the Brooklyn bridge in the background.

7: The number seven tarot card features John Wick driving his 1971 Plymouth Barracuda as "The Chariot". There is a bullet mark on the front glass pane of John Wick's car. On top is a closeup of John Wick surrounded by a circle of road markings and bullet marks.

8: The number eight tarot card features Charon played by Lance Reddick as "Strength". On top of Charon's head is the infinity symbol, and behind is a design reminiscent of a timepiece neatly decorated with knives, guns and bullets in a circle. Further behind is a faded image of the reverse side of the Gold Coin. Filling the bottom of the frame is the New York cityscape backdrop illuminated by the sun.

9: The number nine tarot card features Caine played by Donnie Yen as "The Hermit". Caine wears sunglasses and is holding a cane in his left hand and a pistol in his right. Caine's head is illuminated by a circle of bright light, which is surrounded by a dimmer, slightly bigger circle with Japanese wave patterns and then large protruding rays of black. In the backdrop are two winding trees along with a city landscape of Osaka, but they are overshadowed by Caine's black rays.

10: The number ten tarot card features L’Arc de Triomphe as "The Wheel of Fortune". The location is illustrated in such a way that looks like a clock, with the monument at the centre and twelve roads leading towards it. Surrounding the Arc de Triomphe are the letters from John Wick's name arranged in the exact order of north-west, north-east, south-west, south-east, west, north, east and south directions.

11: The number eleven tarot card features The Harbinger played by Clancy Brown as "Justice". The whole illustration is framed as if the Harbinger is contained inside an hourglass, with a half-body portrait of the Harbinger at the top and a full-body silhouette of him forming at the bottom from the sand flowing downwards. Behind the Harbinger's portrait is the Latin quote, "si vis pacem, para bellum", whereas next to the Harbinger's silhouette is a crescent moon. Along the sides of the hourglass outside are two duel pistols facing opposite directions on each side.

12: The number twelve tarot card features Koji Shimazu played by Hiroyuki Sanada as "The Hanged Man". Except for his feet, Koji is portrayed as an vertically-inverted reflection of himself on a pool of water. Koji is holding a katana and his head is surrounded by a circle of dim light and a brighter, slightly larger circle made of Japanese wave patterns. As seen in the reflection, behind him are cherry blossom trees and the Osaka city landscape.

13: The number thirteen tarot card features John Wick, aka the Baba Yaga, played by Keanu Reeves as "Death". John Wick is holding a pair of nunchucks in his right hand. Behind John Wick is a city landscape of Osaka lighted by the moon while his head is surrounded by a row of skull pictograms and two rows of bullets. There is also an faded image of the reverse side of the Gold Coin behind John Wick.

14: The number fourteen tarot card features Winston played by Ian McShane as "Temperance". Winston is holding up a wine glass with a capital C labelled on it, and there are multiple swords projecting from his back like wings. Behind Winston is the hotel name "Continental" and numerous halos of various fonts and patterns, along with the cityscape of New York, with the Statue of Liberty and the Empire States building in sight.

15: The number fifteen tarot card features The Marquis, Vincent Bisset de Gramont, played by Bill Skarsgård as "The Devil". Behind the Marquis is his signature emblem with two black knives crossed behind his head. The emblem is surrounded by two rows of knives. In the background is the night cityscape of Paris with the Eiffel Tower in view, illuminated by a moon that is surrounded by a snake or serpent that's chasing its own tail.

16: The number sixteen tarot card features the New York Continental Hotel as "The Tower". The top floors of the Continental Hotel are being set on fire as the small dark silhouette of John Wick and the debris carried along fall from its rooftop.

17: The number seventeen tarot card features Akira played by Rina Sawayama as "The Star". Illuminating behind Akira is a star resembling a six-pointed shuriken with two Japanese stork paintings on its left and right, which is further surrounded by a circle of alternating arrow fletchings and four-pointed shuriken. Akira is holding a bow and arrow and standing tall as the bodies of two men lie dead around her. In the background are the branches of cherry blossom trees and the sun or moon shining behind Akira.

18: The number eighteen tarot card features John Wick's and Mr. Nobody's dogs as "The Moon". The two dogs are staring up at the crescent moon, which is shaped as if John Wick's head is covering portions of the full moon. Surrounding the crescent moon are small stars and a illustration of the cycle of the moon phases. The two dogs are sitting on a road leading into an ambiguous city landscape in the background.

19: The number nineteen tarot card features the Sacré-Coeur as "The Sun". The rays of the sun spread out far and wide as wisps of clouds drifts behind the giant church. A dark silhouette of John Wick can be seen on the top open window of the Sacré-Coeur.

20: The number twenty tarot card features Chidi played by Marko Zaror as "Judgement". Behind Chidi is the emblem of the Marquis with a black knife cutting across behind his head. Below Chidi are the High Table's heavily armoured soldiers who are backdropped by a big splatter of sandy beige.

21: The number twenty-one tarot card features John Wick as "The World". John Wick's back is facing towards us with his head glancing back, showing us his face. Overlayed on top of him is his surname "Wick" with the "I" replaced by a bright silhouette of a walking John Wick. A circle of bullets surrounds John Wick and bullet marks scatter around him as the emblems of the High Table, the Marquis, the Adjudicator, and the Gold Coin fill all four corners of the frame.

./End ID]

[reemnj]

🔥 Can a Plate Take You on a Journey? Oh Yes, and Here's Why! 🔥

I was just sitting down for a casual meal, minding my own business, when bam!—I noticed this gorgeous plate in front of me, and let me tell you, it wasn't just any plate. The intricate patterns, the vibrant colors—they instantly transported me back to one of the most mesmerizing artistic traditions in history: Islamic art. 🎨✨

Here’s the cool part: Islamic art is way more than just pretty designs.

Back in the day, Muslim artists weren’t allowed to depict people or animals in religious art, so what did they do? They went ahead and invented a whole new art form! 💡 They turned geometric shapes, flowers, and repeating patterns into something breathtaking. Every swirl and line you see? It’s full of meaning, symbolizing balance, unity, and the infinite beauty of the universe. 🌌✨

🌍 Imagine standing in the Alhambra in Spain or the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, completely surrounded by these patterns. It's like being wrapped in centuries of culture and beauty. And here’s a fun fact: Muslim mathematicians like Al-Khwarizmi (yes, the guy behind algorithms!) actually helped make these designs possible. Talk about a blend of art and science! 🤯

Now, here's the kicker. Sitting in front of me was this plate—yes, a simple plate—but I realized it’s a direct descendant of that incredible legacy! Islamic art didn’t just stay in palaces or mosques, it found its way into everyday life—on pottery, textiles, and yes, even the plates we eat from! 🍽️💫

So next time you're sitting down to a meal, take a second look at what’s in front of you. You might just discover a piece of history, a story that’s still unfolding centuries later. Trust me, it’s everywhere, if you just know where to look. ❤️

[bijoumikhawal]

Some Coptic Shawls

This shawl is from the 9th or 10th century, and contains tapestry woven bands of Coptic script and kufic tiraz that can't actually be read.

I'm actually unsure about the details of this shawl as it's images are mixed up with the former shawl. It has a line of kufic tiraz and a tapestry woven strip with birds and an abstract medallion.

This shawl is from the 8th or 9th century. It has several stripes. It has stripes of floral and foliate designs, alongside two inscriptions in Arabic and Coptic. I'm not sure what the center stripe is, but I think it might be Acanthus leaves? They sometimes show up in Coptic textiles as a sort of curved w shape, as do some other leaf patterns. Acanthus leaves are associated with immortality, rebirth, and resurrection, but in Coptic art I've seen them associated with peace and heavenly gardens.

This shawl is from the 8th or 9th century. The center stripe has birds and a little lizardy looking creature I cant identify, as well as some more geometric/abstract designs. The Coptic cross appears in simplified form at the start of a Coptic inscription.

A similar shawl from the Louvre, with no detail images and frustratingly unspecified dating.

This shawl is from around 640-660. The MET has identified it as a wall hanging, but the composition of images in bands and segments resembles clothes I've seen more than a wall hanging. Each of the 5 medallions depicts Amazon women. Typically Amazons in this era of Coptic textile are on horseback, trampling a beast as they draw their bows. These have baskets of fruit under their horses instead and no bows, but retain the pose as though they were drawing. The bands show the bust of a man (possibly a personification of the Earth, Ge), riders holding wreaths, figures carrying food, birds, fish, and geometric patterns. Many of these motifs were found around the Mediterranean at the time, and would've been rather secular. The particular usage here is inviling the idea of abundance. This item would've been very expensive. The MET identifies it as Islamic, but I am not convinced as there are no explicitly Islamic motifs, and this was the very beginning of Muslim presence in Egypt. Further, personifying the Earth as a male is in line with Coptic culture, and it's recontextualizing of pagan figures and imagery to suit a Christian philosophy at this time. We don't know much about Pre-Islamic gods, but I don't know of an earth diety, male or female, and to reference such a figure in an Islamic art piece seems rather strange to me?

This is another "hanging" I think may be a shawl, from the 4th or 5th century. It depicts putti picking grapes. The symbolism of grapes in Christianity is fairly well known, and those associations hold true here- Jesus, Mary, and Communion. It's a very pious design, and because if the activity of harvest, it may have also been chosen for an association with abundance.

A third shawl/hanging. This is from the Fatimid era and I have no further information other than the Louvre saying its Coptic, nor a better photo.

The shawl of Sabine, 4th or 5th century. This is one of many pieces taken from Antinoë/Antinopolis by Gayet, who I consider to be a prolific grave robber. Unlike many garments he likely took, we know that this shawl belonged to a woman named Sabine. She was buried with it wrapped around her shoulders. The center medallion depicts Bellerophon and Perseus trampling the Chimera, bordered with a Nilotic scene of boys, fish, and lotuses. The bands are a continuation of this motif, with the addition of crocodiles and boats. The right medallion is of Apollo and Daphne. Daphne holds out a cross shaped flower to Apollo. The left is of an female archer who has killed a lion- perhaps Artemis, who interestingly, does not show up often in Late Antique Coptic art. The scattered design elements are winged figures, more lotuses. The boys and winged figures sometimes carry large shells and wreaths. It is proposed that the shawl originally was a wall hanging.

A possible shawl fragment with a striped design of grapes and flowers. These flowers may be roses, or they may be a generic "flower" shape. Some flowers identified as roses in Coptic textile I actually believe are lotuses, but I don't believe that is the case here.

A shawl from somewhere between the 7th and 9th century, made of embroidered linen. The pattern is of stylized leaves, buds, flowers, and abstract medallions.

This shawl is from the 3rd or 4th century. It has some pinstripes and what I think may be a grape leaf, though typically Coptic textiles from this period depict grape leaves more realistically, with five lobes.

In this image shows how shawls may have commonly been worn in Late Antique Egypt. It is possible there were further variations in wearing, as ultimately here all three figures are wearing the shawl draped over their shoulder, behind them, under the opposite arm, and over the first shoulder or arm, with women lifting it up to cover the head too.

This shawl may not be Coptic specifically. Some records indicate tulle bi telli shawls used to be made such that humanoid figures only appeared on shawls made by Copts, whereas Muslim Egyptians would use geometric designs, but this does not seem to be the case today. These shawls were often traditionally made by girls for their weddings, and all the patterns reflect the wishes and hopes of the girl for her marriage and wedding night. The technique of using metal strip embroidery comes from Turkey, where it is known as tel kirma, or from India, where it is known as mukaish or muqayyash, which is said to have been invented by Noor Jahan. I actually know a Copt whose family traditionally made a living through producing textiles such as tulle bi telli. Despite the secular importance of tulle bi telli, these shawls are sometimes called Coptic shawls. According to the British Museum, these shawls were originally a Coptic speciality, so this may be the origin of the confusing name.

This style of shawl is modern, and typically worn by monks. I believe this style came from Ethiopia, because thats what I've been told by another Copt, and I've at least seen Ethiopian clergy wear it. Fun fact: Egyptian and Ethiopian Orthodox Christians were part of the same church until VERY recently. This isn't especially obvious in all the customs of both groups, but it does mean Copts and Ethiopian Christians celebrate the same New Year, which also makes sense because of the agricultural roots of the date involving the Inundation of the Nile.

[uwmspeccoll]

Welcome to Manuscript Monday!

In this series we will periodically focus on selections from our manuscript facsimile collection. Today we present selections from the Morgan Beatus Manuscript, reproduced as A Spanish Apocalypse, The Morgan Beatus Manuscript in New York by George Braziller, Inc. in association with the Pierpont Morgan Library in 1991. The original manuscript, made around 10th century CE at the scriptorium of San Miguel de Escalada in Spain by a monk named Maius, is the earliest surviving illuminated version of the monk Beatus of Liébana's commentary on the biblical Book of Apocalypse (also known as the Book of Revelation).  The text of the Book of Revelation makes up the first part of the manuscript, and Beatus’s commentary comprises the second part. The Book of Revelation tells of the end-times in Christianity, during the final judgement of humanity by God. The story within this Biblical book was also seen by those living during the Latin medieval era as representative of the beginning of something new: God’s celestial kingdom. Due to this view of the book, many artists incorporated imagery from this part of the Bible in their work.

Produced in Al-Andalus, or Muslim-ruled Spain, the artistic style of this work combines both Muslim and Christian visual traditions to create a beautifully illuminated manuscript that supplements the commentary by the monk. This artistic style is known as the Mozarabic, which comes from the Arabic mustaʿrib, meaning ‘Arabicized’. Interestingly, this style of art can only be seen in Christian religious art and architecture from Spain at the time, as non-religious artistic objects made by Christians look so similar to Islamic versions of the same works that they cannot be identified as intentionally Christian. Some key Islamic artistic elements within the manuscript include buildings with horseshoe arches, intricate geometric and vegetal patterns as borders for larger images, and the large, bulging eyes of the illustrated animals.

Another interesting aspect of this specific manuscript is the colophon at the end of the manuscript. It tells readers about the circumstances surrounding the creation of this book, including the maker, the patron, the year it was made, and an explanation about why Maius created the manuscript ("I write this . . . at the command of Abbot Victor, out of love for the book of the vision of John the beloved disciple. As part of its adornment I have painted a series of pictures . . . so that the wise may fear the coming of the future judgement of the world's end."). Colophons in medieval manuscripts are not usually as detailed, so the inclusion of all this information contributes greatly to the knowledge and history surrounding the Morgan Beatus Manuscript.

View more Manuscript Monday posts.

– Sarah S., Special Collections Graduate Intern

[bongboyblog]

A walk through Bengal's architecture

Bengali architecture has a long and rich history, fusing indigenous elements from the Indian subcontinent with influences from other areas of the world. Present-day Bengal architecture includes the nation of Bangladesh as well as the Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura, and Assam's Barak Valley. West Bengal’s architecture is an amalgamation of ancient urban architecture, religious architecture, rural vernacular architecture, colonial townhouses and country houses, and modern urban styles. Bengal architecture is the architecture of Wind, Water, and Clay. The Pala Empire (750–1120), which was founded in Bengal and was the final Buddhist imperial force on the Indian subcontinent, saw the apex of ancient Bengali architecture. The majority of donations went to Buddhist stupas, temples, and viharas. Southeast Asian and Tibetan architecture was influenced by Pala architecture. The Grand Vihara of Somapura, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was the most well-known structure erected by the Pala rulers.

The Grand Vihara of Somapura

According to historians, the builders of Angkor Wat in Cambodia may have taken inspiration from Somapura. Bengal architecture became known for its use of terracotta due to the scarcity of stone in the area. Clay from the Bengal Delta was used to make bricks.

The temple architecture has distinct features like the rich wall decoration, often known as the terracotta temples, which was one of the remarkable elements of Bengali temple architecture. The double-roofed architecture of thatched huts was replicated by Bengali temples. Square platforms were used to construct the temples. Burnt brick panels with figures in geometric patterns or substantial sculptural compositions served as the temples' adornment.

Dochala style

These served as models for many temples that were built in undivided Bengal. Construction materials used in ancient times included wood and bamboo. Bengal has alluvial soil, so there isn't a lot of stone there. The bricks that were utilized to build the architectural components were made from stone, wood, black salt, and granite. Bengal has two different types of temples: the Rekha type, which is smooth or ridged curvilinear, and the Bhadra form, which has horizontal tiers that gradually get smaller and is made up of the amalaka sila. Mughal architecture, including forts, havelis, gardens, caravanserais, hammams, and fountains, spread throughout the area during the Mughal era in Bengal. Mosques built by the Mughals in Bengal also took on a distinctive regional look. The two major centers of Mughal architecture were Dhaka and Murshidabad. The do-chala roof custom from North India was imitated by the Mughals.

Jorasako thakurbari

The Rasmancha is a heritage building located at Bishnupur, Bankura district, West Bengal.

Influence of the world on Bengal architecture: Although the Indo-Saracenic architectural style predominated in the area, Neo-Classical buildings from Europe were also present, particularly in or close to trading centers. While the majority of country estates had a stately country house, Calcutta, Dacca, Panam, and Chittagong all had extensive 19th and early 20th-century urban architecture that was equivalent to that of London, Sydney, or other British Empire towns. Calcutta experienced the onset of art deco in the 1930s. Indo-Saracenic architecture can be seen in Ahsan Manzil and Curzon Hall in Dhaka, Chittagong Court Building in Chittagong, and Hazarduari Palace in Murshidabad.

Hazarduari Palace in Murshidabad

The Victoria Memorial in Kolkata, designed by Vincent Esch also has Indo-Saracenic features, possibly inspired by the Taj Mahal. Additionally, Kolkata's bungalows, which are being demolished to make way for high-rise structures, have elements of art deco. The 1950s in Chittagong saw a continuation of Art Deco influences. The Bengali modernist movement, spearheaded by Muzharul Islam, was centered in East Pakistan. In the 1960s, many well-known international architects, such as Louis Kahn, Richard Neutra, Stanley Tigerman, Paul Rudolph, Robert Boughey, and Konstantinos Doxiadis, worked in the area.

The Jatiyo Sangshad Bhaban

This iconic piece of contemporary Bangladeshi architecture, was created by Louis Kahn. Midsized skyscrapers dominate the cityscapes of contemporary Bengali cities, which are frequently referred to as "concrete jungles." With well-known architects like Rafiq Azam, architecture services play a key role in the urban economies of the area. Overall Bengal architecture was influenced by various contemporaries of their time and continues to evolve.

Gothic architectural style seen in St. Paul's Cathedral in Kolkata.

Zamindar era buildings in ruin.

Belur Math in Howrah

[obaewankenope]

Thinking about stuff and doodling and I just had the thought that Muslim art, Celtic art, and Native American art often gets lumped together as being sort of... Uncultured? No, not that, overly simplistic in that way where someone looks at it and goes "I don't get the symbolism, ugh boring" and assumes the cultures and people who created this art (and still create it) are somehow less civilised than other groups/people (Romans vs Celts, for example, Western vs Islamic art, European vs Native American art etc) because the ways the art actually works isn't the same as the Majority Think Art Should Work.

Like, Celtic art is something I love and it's full of patterns, geometric, repeating, animalistic etc that a lot of the time, people don't get the meaning of. They'll look at it and just Not Understand why that design is circular, or where that particular repeating pattern originated and potentially why, and because of that, they just assume it's from some barbarian, uncivilised, savage people.

And this is the same sort of perspective that is all over historical perspectives of art from non-European, non-white spaces.

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Islamic art is seen as simple and never measures up to the 'amazing' renaissance art (fuck you Boris Johnson and anyone who thinks like you) because it doesn't use actual people in its work (which meant geometry had to be a whole fucking level and meant the Islamic Golden Age was fucking Lit AF™).

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I mean, just LOOK at the complexity that has been HANDCRAFTED, CHISELED, INTO FUCKING STONE that you can see on MULTIPLE buildings. How the hell can any of that be uncivilised or 'lesser' to European art? It just- it just can't.

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Celtic art is compared to contemporary Roman and Grecian art of the time by scholars and the general public who tend to perceive it as representative of a Simple Mindset and shit which, yeah no. Like, Roman and Grecian art is amazing, I totally agree, but like it's not "better" or more "Civilised" or whatever bullshit metric is used to measure how Worthy Of Being Respected scholars used to determine how Great™ a civilisation/culture was back in Ye Olden Days. I mean, ffs go and look at some of the AMAZING torques and brooches made by celtic artisans and tell me they're Simple. You're wrong. They're amazing.

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This is an 8th century brooch, the Tara Brooch, and is literally amazing. Just look at it! How tf can anyone ever think Celts were just simple or uncivilised or sth with art that fucking beautiful jfc.

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And Native American artwork? Oh boy. The WHOLE colonialism and genocide of near enough an entire continent by European settlers and all that came after meant that anything non-European was automatically savage and lesser and needed to be Made To Look Civilised. So yeah, some of the most amazing artwork of Native American people's is just... From a European (art with people and fancy realism and all that shit, perspective) is just apparently less. Like wtf, you can see how historians and scholars for decades looked down on native American art as somehow lesser in the 'research' done on it.

When it's absolutely fucking AMAZING TOO.

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This is a totem pole. That shit gets hand carved, painted, and engraved ffs. How is ANY of that barbaric or representative of a supposedly lesser or savage culture and people? Fuck colonialism and it's bullshit effect on perception of people and art and history. Just fuck that shit.

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Like, sure, in recent years there's definitely been a push to recognise that these types of art aren't lesser or uncivilised or whatever. And I appreciate that, greatly. But then I see some bullshit hot take by Boris Fucking Johnson or some other bigoted piece of shit gain traction for whatever reason and I R A G E.

Anyway. Love all art. It's amazing.

Art is universal human expression. Treasure it.

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Sidenote: In my defence rn, I'm very under-caffeinated and limited on things I can do so research quality is definitely not as good as I'd like. If you have any info, advice, or additional links for further reading/learning about these amazing art types, add them in reblogs, message me, or throw an ask my way. I live to learn and be angry on main about indignities like bigotry. ~ Kat.