History of Islamic Fine Art
By Mahmoud Yousuf Khidr
Of the Most Benevolent Hands Always
Extending to the Millions of People All Over the World Regardless of their Religion, Race or Root.
To the Most Honorable Muslem LeaderHis HighnessSheikh Zayed Ibn Sultan Al Nahyan.President of the United Arab Emirates
May God Support
His Perpetual Advancing Riches and Glorify His ProsperityI Dedicate This BookWith My Kindest AcknowledgmentMahmoud Yousuf Khidr.PrefaceByDr. Sarwat Ukasha
I have the pleasure to introduce to the Islamic Art scholars the valuable book “The History of Islamic fine Art” by the scholar Mahmoud Yousuf Khidr. The book including a comprehensive study in the main applied arts in the Islamic period. I have the pleasure to refer to the strenuous effort of the author to explore and compile the book material from its original sources in Arabic and foreign languages. He did not only refer to the periodicals and catalogues officially issued by the specialized faculties and institutions in applied arts in the Arab countries and abroad, but he also went in depth through the narrow specialized periodicals in the decorative arts in all countries in Arabic and foreign languages either the monthly or bi-annual and annual periodicals.
The work of the scholar did not confine only in the original references abundant with the information concerning his study, but he could include new and original and unsurpassed additions in particular his intellectual remarks concerning the migration movements of the craftsmen and artisans from central Asia westwards to Persia, Iraq (northern the Jezira), Syria and Egypt as well as to Tunis, Morocco, Italy and finally to Andalusia. The sequent waves of craftsmen and artisans were a direct result of the three Mongol assaults in the reign of Gengis Khan in 1220 A.D. then in the reign of Hulago who could sack Baghdad the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate in 1258 A.D. One year later in 1259, he captured Rusafa and Raqqa. The third Mongol assault was made by Tamarlane, known to the Arab historians as the lame. He captured Damascus and completely devastated it and damaged its mosques and Madrasas. Tamarlane plundered the treasures of the city of the enamelled mosque glass lamps and the sumptuous carpets highly assessed and appriciated not only in the countries of the Islamic world but also in Europe and were known through the inventorizing records of the Dukes palaces in Venice and other European cities.Our diligent scholar threw the light on the opposite migrations of the craftsmen and artisans from the West to the East when the political and military weakness befelled the Islamic empires in the East and North Africa, and the Nasrid Kingdom in Granada Spain. This addition, in particular the author remark to the craftsmen migrations during the Ayyubid period 1171-1250 A.D. , is considered an surpassed contribution by the author in the field of Islamic Art studies.On the other hand, the author was highly concerned in enhancing his valuable study with more than 150 coloured illustrations. Undoubtedly he faced big troubles and strains to get this unique collection of photographs to provide his reader with better illustrated information in the field.The author, indeed, deserves the highest merits and assessments from me myself and from the Islamic art scholars and amateurs. I hope for my colleague, the author, more success in his further scientific works in the future.
Sarwat Ukasha
Cairo
IntroductionByThe AuthorWith the emergence of the sun of Islam on the Arab Peninsula and the spread of its shimmering light to the known world at that time, a completely new civilization was emitted fusing the Pre-Islamic cultures of all the people and nations who entered in Islam. The new formulated Islamic culture formed a new ring of distinguished character in the human thought. First of all, arts were of the main urban elements which were gradually stamped with the Islamic taste and philosophy. My course in the book is to follow, in a logic method, the phases of the development of Islamic Art. I went, in depth, through each individual phase. I began with historical approach including the formation of Islamic Art followed with four parts beginning with the Umayyad style and ending with the Ayyubids and Mamluks passing with the Abbasid and Fatimid styles. I took the styles of Islamic Art in Egypt as the main subject of my study. The practical reason is that Egypt, since opened by the Muslems in 641 A.D was the land in which the Pre-Islamic arts harmoniously combined and fused reformulating new forms of Islamic Art, both in techniques and designs, marking with unmistakable Islamic taste and spirit. These forms and techniques show totaly integrated phases of Islamic Art development, a case had not almost exist in other Islamic land. Although Egypt enjoyed abundance of diverse fine artifacts in different materials however some centuries of time are not represented in its collections.My study concentrated mainly on the Islamic decorative arts with no neglect to the art of architecture. I mentioned the architecture of each Islamic period in Egypt individually describing the constructions still existed and that had been obliterated as possible as I could.Islamic art and artifacts, although diverse in decorations and techniques, it was a production of people profoundly believe in the Monotheism in Allah, the Sole. The new art, introduced effectively about the mid-seventh century A.D., absorbed a culture resulted in the fuse of pre-Islamic cultures, combined and melted introducing the Islamic art forms, Hence, the technical Isalmic styles were relatively related to the Islamic religion concept. Thus, the distinguished character of Isalmic art styles were established and developed in the mosque architecture and extending to be practised in a wide scale in the architecture of the madrasas, palaces and private homes.The national Islamic consciousness arose effectively from the early date of the seventieth of the 20th century and its subsequences were confined only, by the historians and scholars, to the political events, administration and regime of governments during the Isalmic period. The art trends and movements as well as the social history of Muslem nations were relatively neglected. As a result, I was encouraged to introduce this specialised book to the Arab readers and to scholars every where as well as to all those who are concerned in studying the different aspects of human life.To go back through our heritage in the course of its narrow concept represented only in the religious belief and devotions is, in fact, not engough in a period of time we are accused that we are uncivilized people,ترقيم الطبعة العربية عمود يسار)) p11)) and whereas some of Muslem factions are calling to some forms of petrified thoughts and got acts and deeds very far from the tolerant spirit of Islam. Many of the thoughts prevailed and embraced during the early periods of Islam strongly protested many of what considered right by most of the people. On the other hand, many of the scientific facts appeared during the two last centuries strongly protested what was considered right by the majority of people. Therefore, the man of the 21st century has to look to the rapidly developed world in a different manner. Undoubtedly, the human race alone, through the huge accumulated knowledge, could create good moral values and true standards of beauty, these standards and values are what I aim to confirm and emphasize on. For example, the erecting of a new mosque should coincide with a noble architectural ornament including lighting, wall decorations, carving of the religious furniture in the mosque, the epigraphic decoration and filling the pierced windows with coloured glass, as the spirit and essence of the Islam religion are the true beauty and truth.Hence, the truth can be stated here that the religion of Islam was never a religion of jurisprudence and devotions only but it compreh-ends all the knowledges, science and arts of human kind. One could not hestitate to remark that the wood carved doors, the ornamented mosque domes, the wood friezes inlaid with ivory, the glazed mosaics, the lofty minaret shafts standing high towards the sky as spears and the cast bronze statuettes are all, indeed, practical examples of unsimilar noble art. The Islamic art is actual expression of the inside consciousness and sentiments of human being executed by the hands of highly skilled craftsmen who could easily control the substances they deal with and well express the work they produce. Those craftsmen who mastered their crafts could successfuly convey their profound sentiments and knowledge to the viewers of the people through their fine works of art.My goal, in fact, is to throw the light on the beautiful and fine heritage exemplified in the different forms of arts, as adhering to this original heritage is a steady pillar on which the urban development can be erected. The art relish is closely related to the knowledge of the receiver, either reader or viewer, with the art work who could not love the work before know it. The Islamic art was found through the production of its artifacts which I introduce to the scholars and readers collaborating in building a true knowledge of the great Islamic civilization which dominated for a long period of time through its conformation with the actual measures of the world. Unfortunately, it began to fall back when it retreated and snailed. My collaboration is a modest work to revive the position of Islamic Art amongst the arts of the world. I can claim that Islamic Art, which estblished a steady intellectual and scientific method along the early periods of Islam is still able to practically interact with the present urban movements and trends of art.In this regard, special thanks and gratitude go to the most celebrated writer and highly learned, Dr. Sarwat Ukasha in Cairo for his kind assistance and wonderful guide to me while I prepare the material of this book.My acknowledgements to Farouk S. Asker in Cairo for his kind assistance in providing me with the valuable photographs illustrated the book. I render my warmest thanks to the skilled designer Ali al-Jack. Saeid who designed the book and enhance it with illustrations.Finally, I state that the book would not have been possible without the generous support rendered to me by His Excellency Mohammed Ahmed al-Suwaidy, the high learned and imaginative poet. Mr. Suwaidy had inspired me with this noble kind of art study and opened the doors to me to collaborate in the spacious field of Islamic civilization studies through his long discussion and readings in Islamic culture and Andalusian literature. I had the honour to accompany Mr. Suwaidy in his long travels almost to all over the world getting the most precious chance to visit the Art Museums and galleries adding more valuable cultures to my general knowledge and reformulating my specific knowledge about the history of Islamic Art. My deepest and warmest thanks and gratitude to his Excellency Mohammed al-Suwaidy and to all those whom gave a hand in introducing this book.May God help us.
The Author
Mahmoud Yousuf Khidr
Abu Dhabi. March 2004.
Translated Into English By
Farouk Sadik Askar
Edited by
DedicationTo the Father of All
