Islamic Art And Visual Culture – An Anthology Of Sources

By (author) Ruggles, D. Fairchild; By (author) Ruggles, DF
Short description/annotation
Islamic Art and Visual Culture is a collection of primary sources in translation accompanied by clear and concise introductory essays that provide unique insights into the aesthetic and cultural history of one of the world''s major religions.
Description
Islamic Art and Visual Culture is a collection of primary sources in translation accompanied by clear and concise introductory essays that provide unique insights into the aesthetic and cultural history of one of the world''s major religions. * Collects essential translations from sources as diverse as the Qur''an, court chronicles, technical treatises on calligraphy and painting, imperial memoirs, and foreign travel accounts * Includes clear and concise introductory essays * Situates each text and explains the circumstances in which it was written--the date, place, author, and political conditions * Provides a vivid window into Islamic visual culture and society * An indispensable tool for teachers and students of art and visual culture
Table of contents
Introduction. 1 Foundations: Religious, Political, Juridical, and Administrative Documents from Early Islam and Places in Transition. 1.1 The Qur''an: On Paradise. 1.2 The Qur''an: On the Qibla. 1.3 The Hadith: On Waqf. 1.4 Ibn cAsakir: The Pact of cUmar. 2 Behavior, Gifts, Treasuries, and Collections. 2.1 Kitab al-hadaya wa al-tuhaf: A Description of Wedding Gifts. 2.2 Al-Muqaddasi: A Description of the Shiraz Library. 2.3 Kutadgu Bilig: A "Mirror for Princes"on the Qualifications of a Gatekeeper and the Etiquette for Feasts. 2.4 Kitab al-hadaya wa al-tuhaf: On the Looting of the Fatimid Treasury. 2.5 Al-Ghazali: On the Magnanimity of Kings. 2.6 Ibn Khaldun: On the Emblems of Sovereignty. 2.7 Safiye: Letter to Queen Elizabeth I. 2.8 Tavernier: On the Ottoman Mosaic Collection. 3 Art. Workshops, Guilds, and Crafts in General. 3.1 The Ikhwan al-Safa'': On the Education of Craftsmen. 3.2 Clavijo: On Timurid Trade with China. 3.3 Ahmad Ibn cArabshah: On Timur''s Seizure and Relocation of Artisans. 3.4 Khwandamir: On Guilds and an Extraordinary Work of Glass. 3.5 A Report from a Book Workshop. 3.6 Bernier: On Artisans in Delhi. Calligraphy and Scribes. 3.7 Ibn Qutayba: On the Education of a Scribe. 3.8 Ibn al-Nadim: On the Transmission and Authorization of Books. 3.9 Al-Ghazali: On Pens and Secretaries. 3.10 Rashid al-Din: On His Atelier Endowment. 3.11 Simi Nishapuri: A Treatise on Papers, Color, and Ink. 3.12 Mawlana Sultan-cAli: A Treatise on Writing. 3.13 Khwandamir: A Biographical Sketch of a Timurid Calligrapher. 3.14 Calligraphy Sample Sheet. 3.15 Qadi Ahmad: On the Invention of the Pen. Painting. 3.16 Sadiqi Beg: A Treatise on Painting. 3.17 Abu''l-Fazl cAllami: On Painting the Human Figure. 3.18 Jahangir: A Painting of a Flying Rodent and a Portrait Gallery. 3.19 Evliya Celebi: An Account of Manuscript Defacement. Textiles. 3.20 Al-Bayhaqi: On Tiraz-stamped Paper and Textiles. 3.21 Al-Mascudi: On the Patronage of Textiles. 3.22 An Egyptian Tiraz Inscription. 3.23 Narshakhi: On Bukhara''s Cloth. 3.24 Ibn al-Balkhi: On Linen Manufacture. 3.25 A Geniza Letter Regarding Trade and Market Prices. Ceramics, Glass, Ivory, and Other Media. 3.26 Abu al-Qasim: On Ceramic Luster and Gilding. 3.27 Ibn Battuta: On Chinese Porcelain. 3.28 Mosque Lamp with Blazon. 3.29 Clavijo: On Timurid Emblems. 3.30 Clavijo: A Golden Tree. 3.31 Four Coins. 3.32 Jahangir Strikes a New Kind of Coin. Geometry, Aesthetics. 3.33 Ibn Hazm: On Vision. 3.34 Ibn al-Haytham: On Vision. 4 Space: Architecture and Urbanism. 4.1 cAbd al-Rahman III: On Architecture and Immortality. Architectural Techniqu