art in al-andalus

Islamic Architecture

So far we have seen:

The Roman Arch

And

The Pointed Arch

The Horseshoe Arch

Now we are going to see:

The materials that they used were poor.Plaster:(yeso)

Ceramics:Bricks:(ladrillos)

Nothing is eternal, only Allah Remains

With these poor materials they were able to create wonderful works of art with an exuberant decoration:They used the following types of decoration:

Geometrical MotifsCalligraphic Motifs

Plant Motifs

Mosque of Cordoba

Mihrab

Palace of Medina Azahara

Alhambra

Court of the Lions

“Patio de los Arrayanes”

Mocarabe Dome

El Generalife

• What is the name of a typical Islamic Arch?– Horseshoe Arch

• The materials that they used were rich or poor?– They were poor

• Is the decoration exuberant?– Yes, It is

• Do they usually represent images of people or animals? – No, they don’t

• Why?– Because it is forbidden by the Koran.

• What three types of decoration are there?– Geometrical motifs– Plant motifs (ataurique)– Calligraphic motifs (cúfica o nasjí)

• What is the name of the typical Islamic Domes?– Caliphal Domes, whose ribs (nervios) don’t meet in the

centre.