During the length of this introductory course on Islamic Art we will examine how Islamic art and architecture have evolved throughout the centuries according to the specific needs of different court rituals, believes and regional issues. To achieve that, we will look at buildings and their archaeological and architectural remains and read them through primary sources (travel literature, poetry) coeval with the period taken into account, in search of an exhaustive understanding on how power identify itself with certain spaces and rituals. We will travel throughout the Mediterranean basin to Central Asia and China on a timeline that runs from the eighth to the seventeenth century. At the end of this course the students are supposed to be able to make their own critical understanding on the topics analyzed in class and will be able to identify the different factors which have determined the development of Islamic art throughout time and space.

What is Islamic art? 2. The formation of early Islamic art: the mosque. 3. The Great Mosque at Damascus. 4. Jerusalem. 5. The art of the mosaic. 6. Newly founded cities and the desert castles (part I). 7. The Desert castles (part II). 8. Al-Andalus and the Umayyad dynasty. 9. The Abbasid Empire: cities and palaces. 10. The Abbasid Mosque. 11. The artistry of pottery-making and the material culture of the Abbasid period. 12. The Maghreb and Egypt in the 11th and 12th century. 13. The Maghreb and Egypt in the 11th and 12th century (II part). 14. Sicily under the Arab and Norman domination (9th -12th centuries). 15. Persia and Central Asia from the 9th to the 13th century (part I). 16. Persia and Central Asia from the 9th to the 13th century (part II). 17. The Ilhkanids and the Timurids. 18. Islam in China. 19. Anatolia under the Seljuks, the Beyliks and early Ottomans. 20. Egypt and Syria under the Ayyubids and the Mamluks (12th to 15th century). 21. The Maghreb and Spain between the 11th and the 15th century. 22.  The Mughals. 23. The Safavids. 24. The Ottoman empire.

Conoscenza e capacità di comprensione: Students will learn the basic foundations which are necessary in order to understand what Islamic art is about. This will be achieved in class through lectures followed by discussions.Conoscenza e capacità di comprensione applicate: Students will learn to apply the comparative method in order to identify the different factors which have contributed to shape and develop Islamic art. This will be mostly achieved through the discussion in class of specific case studies. Autonomia di giudizio: Students will be able to apply the method studied to every topic related to Islamic art, even those that have not being discussed in class. At the ends of the course students are supposed to have their own critical understanding about Islamic art and the factors that shaped it. Abilità comunicative: Students of this course will learn to properly make presentations of the case studies discussed in class. This will be achieved mainly through the discussion in class and at the final exam. Capacità di apprendere:Students acquire the basic knowledge and methodology to understand the development of Islamic art throughout the centuries. This will be mainly achieved through the discussion in class and at the final exam.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

The teaching material in power point format will be available weekley on the Moodle platform.

Attendance

Attendance is not mandatory but is highly reccomanded

Course books

Hoag John (1973). Architettura islamica.  Mondadori Electa.

Curatola Giovanni .(2001). Le arti nell’Islam. Carocci.

Or in English:

Moya Carey. (2010). Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Islamic Art and Architecture: A Comprehensive History of Islam's 1,400-year Legacy of Art and Design. Lorenz Books.

Assessment

 Oral examination

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

Students who cannot attend the classes are required to contact the lecturer by e-mail to agree on the program. 

Course books

Hoag John (1973). Architettura islamica.  Mondadori Electa.

Curatola Giovanni .(2001). Le arti nell’Islam. Carocci.

Or in English:

Moya Carey. (2010). Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Islamic Art and Architecture: A Comprehensive History of Islam's 1,400-year Legacy of Art and Design. Lorenz Books.

Assessment

Oral examination or essay (on a topic to discuss with the lecturer)

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.