Arabic ceramics art - Essay Example

Arabic Ceramics Art Introduction In art history, ceramics art refers to art objects detailing aspects such as tableware, figures, and tiles fashioned from clay plus other raw materials by the procedure of pottery. A significant collection of traditional ceramic products is made from clay (or a combination of clay with other materials) shaped into the desired object and then subjected to heat. There is a rich history of ceramic art in diverse, developed cultures, and frequently ceramic objects are the only artistic evidence left behind the disappearance of some cultures (Savory 84). Moreover, most cultures remain principally noted for their ceramics such as Chinese, Greek, Mayan, Persian, Korean, and Japanese cultures as well as contemporary western cultures.
Islamic Art
Islamic art refers to the art of civilization grounded on the Islamic religion. Arab Muslims launched a series of conquests in the 600s and combined all countries they conquered into a unitary civilization. Initially, Arabs themselves had minimal art; however, amid the conquests, the Arabs came into contact with flourishing ceramic art of Persia, Syria, and Egypt (Savory 89). The blending of the cultural influences yielded a distinctive form of Arabic ceramic art prominent between the years 800 and 1700.
Arab artists developed many techniques, the bulk of which remain still in use today. For instance, Arabs engraved pots into a slip, or an earthly coating under the glaze. The engraving mainly displayed religious symbols in calligraphy, and in some instances planted their famed gold stamps right to the exterior of the slip. After the engraving, the ceramic art designers would add many layers consisting of transparent glazes (Ali 106). Another magnificent method that Arabic artists employed in ceramics included encompassed painting with a metallic pigment, mainly on a white or blue glaze (Savory 90). This technique is referred to as luster painting.
Luster painting persisted into the early medieval era, with increased designs of animals and humans incorporated into final pieces. Another form of ceramic work emanating from early medieval era encompasses fritware that created pieces resembling Chinese porcelain (Ali 107). All through the late, medieval and late Arabic periods, pottery continued to imitate Chinese designs with ceramic designs becoming more advanced with time.
Right from the 8th to 18th centuries, glazed ceramics were a prominent part of Islamic art, especially in the shape of elaborate pottery prominent in dynamic Persian and Egyptian pre-Islamic traditions (Ali 108). The contact between and interaction between the Islamic world and China led to enhanced adoption of several Chinese decorative patterns. As a result, the ceramic art from Persian wares progressively eased its Islamic ceiling on figurative ornament to embrace painted figurative outlook that gradually gained prominence (Savory 92). Persia, in particular, left significant marks on the civilization and cultures inclusive of detailed ceramic design. The ceramic design mainly detailed carpet-like details derived from solidly colored, small and covered tiles.
Conclusion
Arabic ceramic art was considerably advanced even in early times, and mainly incorporated a technique referred to as luster painting that made ceramic products appear to be fashioned out of a precious metal. Ultimately, there was ceramic ware that bore uncluttered designs painted on the products, accompanied by an inscription, mainly a quote. Arabic ceramic art also featured bright tiles rich in geometric or arabesque designs for wall surfaces as well as fountains. Presently, in the Middle East, one can find city fountains and walls entirely enveloped with dazzling colored tiles and engraved with calligraphy and images, especially in mosques.
Works Cited
Ali, Wijdan. The Arab Contribution to Islamic Art: From Seventh to the Fifteen Centuries. Cairo: The American University in Cairo Press, 1999. Print.
Savory, Roger. Introduction to Islamic Civilization. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1994. Read More