Middle Eastern art

Middle Eastern art VISUAL LITERACY COMM-105-005 Ana Santos, ChevelleReppert, Philip Scranage, Andrew Richards

1300 1922 1402 1488 1566 1807 Economic Difficulty: Sea travel allows British and Dutch to avoid trade routes through Middle East Orhan Osman captures Bursa War with Venice World War I Napoleon takes Egypt Domination of Southeastern Europe and Middle East Centralization Process (postal roads, etc) Population growth Nomadic Osman tribe brings down Christian Byzantine empire Decline of Ottoman empire

Geography The Ottoman empire was focused around Anatolia (Turkey). At its largest, the Ottoman family controlled the vast majority of the center of the known world.

ART AND ARCHITECTURE • Arabesque • art motif characterized by repeating geometric forms and fancifully combined patterns; look like plants and animals • Drew inspiration from religion, are not allowed to draw human shapes or representations • Style developed from Roman, Early Christian, and Byzantine art • symbolize the infinite nature of the creation of the one God (Allah)

ART AND ARCHITECTURE • Mosques • most characteristic monuments of Ottoman architecture • Style also appears in TopkapıSaray, the huge palace complex in Istanbul • Hagia Sofia

ART AND ARCHITECTURE

CLOTHING • Simple patterns • High quality cloth, linen and high-end wool • Full-coverage • Caftans of lighter weight materials were worn closer to the body, with the heavier fabrics being the outer layers • Apart from the quality and cost of the fabrics, there was little difference in the styles or articles of dress between rich and poor, nor between those of Muslims and non-Muslims

CLOTHING • Men wore an enormous white turban wrapped over a red cap with a high crown that projected above the turban. Blue and black caps are also sometimes seen in period illustrations. • At no time would a woman ever have appeared in public without her head covered

CLOTHING • Caskir (Underpants) and Gonlek (undershirt) (both); light fabric • Sirwal (Punjabi pants) (both); silk • Hirka/Dolama (Jacket) (women); silk • Kaftan (Coat) (both); medium or heavy fabric; all natural fibers except cotton • Surkaftan (overcoat) (men); silk

CLOTHING

DESIGN PRINCIPLES • Miniatures in book illustrations • proportion • Calligraphy as art • line

Design principles • Repetition • pattern • Natural shapes • Lots of flowers • Geometric shapes • Domes

Design principles • Colors • Main colors: blue, red, yellow, green

MODERN DAY REFERENCES • Today in the United States, there are many instances of Ottoman art and design • The most obvious would have to be the use of formal carpeting in many formal settings • These kinds of setting featured patterned and repetitive carpeting that showed typical Ottoman colors: Red and Yellow • This particular example is from the Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, VA

MODERN DAY REFERENCES • Another obvious example would be the mosques that are spread across America • The architecture has stayed the same throughout time and continues to keep its shape • This example is the American Islamic Center • It is the largest center for Islam outside of the Middle East • It is located in Dearborn, MI

MODERN DAY REFERENCES • A final example has had some fierce debate recently • The Islamic Center set to be constructed near Ground Zero has drawn quite a lot of controversy • Artistic wise however, it keeps to the rule of no human or living shape • It’s architecture and shape also looks very similar to patterns drawn on the side of many mosques in the Middle East

WORKS CITED • http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/otto1/hd_otto1.htm • http://www.theottomans.org/english/art_culture/arc_turkey.asp • http://www.scribd.com/doc/2900/Overview-of-Ottoman-Clothing-in-SCA-Period

Middle Eastern art