Islamic Art in India Flashcards
What are the main tenets of Islam, and how are they manifest in the architectural forms and imagery of Indian art and architecture at this time?
In Islam, God is the sole creator, and venerating or creating other images is a grave sin. Therefore, Islamic religious art avoids figural representation in favor of calligraphy, geometrical patterns, and arabesque.
How and why does calligraphy become an important motif in Islamic art and architecture?
Reverence for the Qur’an became reverence for the act of writing itself. Also, according to Dehejia, since the Muslim faith is against making images of gods, Islamic art engages viewers on an abstract level, through calligraphy, geometry, and arabesques (interlacing plant forms). Does not engage on an emotional level such as Christian art does with depictions of Christ on the cross.
How were Hindu motifs, forms, and spolia incorporated into the mosque complex? What is the significance of dismantling and removing elements of images, and how does this relate to Islamic belief and thought?
For the courtyard, pillars from Hindu temples that were carved with floral motifs were selected, though it was impossible to completely avoid figural representation. Iconoclasm - a means of asserting power and of expressing the Islamic belief in the horribleness of image making.
What are the legacies of the architectural and technical innovations at Qutb? How were they adapted to different types of buildings?
Qutb combined Islamic and Hindu aesthetics to make a new style. Later on, this combined style facilitated the creation of structures such as the Taj Mahal. According to Flood, the iconoclasm that accompanied the Turkish conquering of India was not necessarily destructive; rather, it was a process of transformation and visual translation.
Qutb Mosque Complex
Delhi, India. Begun 1190 CE. After the Turks conquered India, a mosque was built in a place previously sacred to Hinduism. Some areas of the complex reuse parts of Hindu temples, establishing dominance over the other religion.
Qutb Minar
Delhi, India. 1190-1370 CE. This structure was too high to be used as a call for prayer as normal minarets are. Instead it was used to declare Islamic supremacy in India. Decorations of Arabic calligraphy and flowers and leaves. The world’s tallest brick minaret.
Courtyard arcade and dome with reused pillars and temple ceiling
Qutb mosque complex, Delhi, India. 12th-13th century CE. Qutb al-Din Aybak used pillars and ceilings from twenty-seven Hindu temples to construct the courtyard of his mosque. Theories about reappropriating these materials: that appropriating the norms of old religious life make people more comfortable and willing to adapt to the new religion. It also is an act of conquest – asserting dominance over the other religion.
Alai Darwaza Gateway
Qutb mosque complex, Delhi, India. 1310 CE. The first structure to use true Islamic architectural styles (domes and arches) in India. The earlier sections of the mosque had been built with parts of extant Hindu temples at the site. Intricately carved red sandstone and marble bands with calligraphic inscriptions. Visual principles of repetition and symmetry.
Humayun’s Tomb
Delhi, India. 1570 CE. The first structure of the garden tomb. Established a building tradition that culminated in the Taj Mahal. A synthesis of Persian architecture and Indian traditions.
Taj Mahal
Agra, India. 1650 CE. The gardens and pools that surround the structure are meant to evoke paradise as described in the Qur’an. This makes sense as it was built by a ruler as a mausoleum for his favorite wife, who died in childbirth.
