An encounter with the artistic heritage of Islam is characterized by two factors that make it very special: the vast dimension of the areas involved, from Spain to Central Asia as far as China and South East Asia as Malaysia and Republic of Indonesia - without forgetting the expansion to sub-Saharan Africa - and the continuation of the phenomenon during fourteen centuries of history. The images wa
s that follow are an answer. Within the great variety of construction forms and materials, some constants stand out: for example, the attention focused on certain building types such as; Masjid (in both its religious and non-religious function), Madrasa (Qur-anic teaching institution), and principal types of civic architecture such as public baths (hammam), markets (suk or bazar) and caravanserais. These building types define the Muslims city and make it perfectly distinct and familiar, as such, at many latitude. Islam makes a strong distinction between public art (decidedly abstract) and private art were figurative art, far from disappearing, occupies a fully legitimate position with a vigour that is sometimes unexpected. The religious dictates - despite the fact that al-Qur-an never explicitly refers to art - are linked to the rigid monotheistic credo and the inexhaustible creative activity of Allah, transformed into decorations that are often modular and are repeated without beginning or an end. The most representative art is certainly calligraphy, with its numerous graphic variations, all of which have great visual impact. The ceramics with their extraordinary shapes and amazing range of colours, the metalwork with damascening of precious materials and an unequalled taste for subtle detail, the textiles with refined silks that almost constitute a separate art and the carpets, which although not a prerogative of Islam alone, do well illustrate its unending diversity, all form the portrait of a very rich artistic culture that is never monotonous. Part of [Temanshalih Network]
