All of the images available here are drawn from the rich heritage of architectural decoration in the Islamic world, a subject that has long fascinated me. The bulk of the images derive from my own photo-archive, the fruits of a whole series of trips to different parts of the Islamic world, together with my own drawings and analyses of Islamic patterns taken from various publications. This collection is augmented with a selection of earlier printed material dealing with the same subject.
I feel that this marvellous artistic tradition deserves to be better known and that it has a great deal to offer, not only to art-historians and other specialists, but to designers and lovers of art and beauty everywhere. At their best these images express a refined and even sublime aesthetic sensibility, but they always remain perfectly accessible. Because of this they seem to me to offer a particularly appropriate antidote to the fears and suspicions that may have been induced by recent notions of a ‘clash of civilisations’. The need to express and appreciate Beauty, through Art, is surely a universal human response.
The problem here, as with any extensive collection of images, is to locate those that might be relevant or inspiring without becoming bogged down by those that are not. To make the archive as accessible as possible then, there are various search options for both general, and more specific, requirements.
Firstly, there are a series of Slideshows each presenting 50 select images of architectural decoration from a particular country or region; go to the Photo-Archive page and select Slideshows.
The Photo-Archive itself can be browsed in its entirety region by region, image by image; go to the Photo-Archive page, select Main Archive by Region, then choose the country/region required
For those with more specific requirements there are other search options The images are indexed in a number of different ways; by the Medium in which they were made (ceramics, plaster, wood etc.); by the Architectural Feature involved (doors, domes, ceilings, walls etc.) also by their location (in a particular Town), and by specific Monuments. To explore the Photo-Archive in this way go to Other Browse Options.
In addition to the above, every image on the website can be found via its individual Catalogue Number (search box on left hand side), and finally, you can download the General Catalogue (excel) for a complete list of code numbers and individual captions.
In addition to the photo-images themselves, there is a range of other material relating to the general subject of Islamic pattern available on this website, including - Background Notes; Drawings, Diagrams & Analyses; Earlier Published Material. There is also a Glossary and a select Bibliography.
A series of texts are available that place the rich traditions of Islamic decorative art in context. They trace the origins and development of Islam itself, and examine the various cultural influences that have contributed to its particular aesthetic preferences. Background Note #1 deals with the Historical setting and rise of Islam; #2 the all-important Religious dimension; #3 the Philosophical and scientific contribution (particularly the impact of Greek thought on Islamic culture); #4 shows how, as Islam gained cultural confidence, it naturally evolved its own distinctive styles – artistic as well as social. Note #5 deals with the Materials and mediums chosen to express these styles; #6 with both the basic Islamic stylistic unity, and the many variations of its expressions found throughout the widespread Islamic world.
Much of the appeal of Islamic decorative art derives from its abiding preoccupation with formal, and often highly complex, geometries. Having delved into the artistic evolution of these patterns (and their underlying construction) in previous publications it seems appropriate to make these analyses available here. I have also included the work of two other individuals who were drawn into this field – the 19th century Frenchmen Jules Bourgoin, and Hanbury Hankin, Chief Botanist during the early 20th century Raj. The former being a formidable collector of Islamic patterns, the latter a determined investigator of their construction.
There is something of a history of the influence of Islamic art on that of the west. In fact Islamic art and architecture exerted a distant influence on Europe from the medieval period on. But the European incursions into the Islamic world in the 19th century mark the beginnings of a recognition, by some at least, of its high aesthetic achievements. Happily, this wave of interest coincided with the development of high quality photo-lithography. This resulted in a whole range of magnificent printed books, extracts from which are reproduced here - together with other relevant published material.
Various technical and other terms from the Islamic world are used in this website, for which there is a Glossary. There is also a Bibliography, listing a broad selection of books relating to this subject, many of which are still in print.
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