 |
THIS EXHIBITION INTRODUCES
the world of Islamic art, through exemplary ceramic works, openwork design
on small pots, and Coptic textiles, which greatly influenced Islamic design.
The elaborately decorated openwork on water containers, excavated from the
medieval city, Fustat, which flourished from the 7th to 14th centuries,
reveal a wide array of design. The necks of these unglazed earthenware pots,
used for cooling drinking water, are stunningly ornate with geometric and
animal motifs, which reflect a refined sensibility intricately woven into
everyday objects.
The culture that developed with the rise of Islam inherited
and refined the traditions of the ancient Near and Middle East, the Mediterranean,
and the Christian world. Within this complex tradition, the openwork designs
found on small pots overlap with motifs on all forms of Islamic art and
architecture—from ceramics, textiles, basketry, and buildings—central
in examining Islamic aesthetics. We hope you will enjoy the wondrous designs
from the Islamic world. |
