Dome Of The Rock: The Presence Of Islamic Art

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When looking at all the masterpieces throughout history, Islamic art is not often one that immediately jumps to mind. After delving deeper into the culture of Islam, it becomes apparent that Islamic art ought to be more recognized than it currently is. The art found in this region is unique than that of other cultures because almost everything that is done is based off of their religious practices or beliefs. A novice of Islamic Art should immediately notice that all of their masterful architecture stems from religion, in fact they almost always are Mosques, or homes of the religious practices. Aside from the Mosque, their other great artistic creations are what is referred to as “Luxury Arts”. The luxury arts are often related to religion,…show more content…
The domed octagon resembles that of “San Vitale” in Ravenna. Constantine’s “Church of the Holy Sepulcher’s design can also be distinguished in this creation, and finally the rotunda seems to imitate that of “Santa Costanza” in Rome. The difference between these other architectural beauties is that “Dome of the Rock” is of much greater magnitude; in fact its dome is 60 feet across and 75 feet high. The interior of this building is also a unique stylistic development that has become a feature of much of Islamic Art. “Dome of the Rock” displays the first entirely wrapped interior filled with colorful patterns that resemble textile (Kleiner, 147-151). Not only is the ornate patterns a new development, but also the themes of these patterns are almost always floral or vegetal scenes with gold inlay. This is because the Islamic religion shuns the display of fauna in any sacred context (Kleiner,…show more content…
Since the Middle Eastern part of the world is scarce in wood, their living spaces are not defined by pieces of furniture but rather by the positioning and type of carpet or cushion they place on the floor. The carpets are so highly revered in the Islamic culture due to their intricate design and hand crafted attention to detail. One of the greatest carpets, the carpet of the Maqsud of Kashan is about 35 feet by 18 feet and has roughly 25 million knots that put together create exquisitely thought out patterns and designs. Since the carpets are used so heavily, including that of Maqsud of Kashan, they are rare to find in the modern day or are in poor condition (Kleiner,
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