Language of Presentation: English
Media Format: Webpage
School Level: College/University, Middle/High School
Institution/Provider: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Author: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History, Department of Islamic Art
Collection: Metropolitan Museum of Art
Condition of Use: All Rights Reserved Description:
The definition of Islamic art given in this article is a traditional one that insists that Islamic art has unified and distinctive attributes related to the religion itself: “As it is not only a religion but a way of life, Islam fostered the development of a distinctive culture with its own unique artistic language that is reflected in art and architecture throughout the Muslim world.” Advanced students could compare this conventional definition to LACMA’s more nuanced definition (see Islamic Art at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art)or to the sophisticated examination by Bloom and Blair in “The Mirage of Islamic Art” (also on Al-Masdar). >