IAA375 Introduction to Islamic Art

[3–0, 3 cr.]

This course is an introduction to the arts of the Muslim world from the rise of Islam until the advent of the early modern period. This course comprises a selective survey of artifacts drawn from a variety of media that represent the pinnacles of artistic accomplishment across the vast expanse of the Islamic world. Paintings, textiles, coins, ceramics, metal work, jewelry, and woodcarving will be investigated in the context of cultural history and examined in terms of their evolving forms, multiple meanings, and the development of a distinctively Islamic aesthetic. Particular emphasis will be placed on the spiritual content of Islamic art, the role of the artist in Islamic society, and the effect of religious pronouncements on the production of art.