ARTH 327 - Gilded Pages:Islamic Book Arts

Credits: 4

This course explores illuminated and illustrated books of the Islamic world, from early Qur’an pages in parchment of the 8th-10th centuries to the richly illustrated manuscripts from the Arab world, the Ottoman Empire, Iran, and India. We treat the aesthetic conventions of these manuscripts and also consider the dynamics of production, the relationship between text and image, and the politics of patronage. The course ends with the development of the large-scale portrait in oil from the Qajar Dynasty in Iran and some examples of modern and contemporary art that draw on traditional techniques and calligraphic modes. Fulfills pre-1800 requirement for Art History major. Prerequisite: Any 100- or 200-level course in Art History or permission of instructor.