Glass of the Sultans (Metropolitan Museum of Art Series) (Hardcover) Islamic glassmakers were not only brilliant technicians and innovators in their own right, but they also preserved many of the methods of Late Antique Roman craftsmen, passing them on centuries later to Venetian and other European masters. This lovely book is the first comprehensive study of the accomplishments of these artisans. The volume presents glass objects from collections throughout the world—from perfume flasks to pitchers, mosque lanterns to boxes, inkwells to vases—ranging from the seventh to the nineteenth century and through many of the major artistic centers of the Muslim world.
 

Five introductory essays cover all facets of the subject, including historical background, archaeological excavations, issues of connoisseurship, technology, and science. The authors then discuss 150 masterworks of Islamic glass, grouped by technique or type of decoration (blown, mold-blown, hot-worked, mosaic, painted, cut, and engraved), each of which is illustrated in full color. Examples of European glass objects are also included as illuminating reference points. The book is the catalogue of an exhibition that opens at the Corning Museum of Glass in May 2001 and at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in October 2001.

Islamic Art in Context : Art Architecture, and the Literary World Robert Irwin delves deep into the cultures of the Islamic world to survey the exquisite arts of painting, architecture, porcelain, enamel, manuscript illumination, metalwork, calligraphy, textiles, and more. Including 217 illustrations, 148 in full color, the book covers the earliest foundations of Islam through the brilliant high point of the 17th century.

Architecture of the Islamic World This book is a thorough introduction that never just stays on the surface of the matter. It answers a lot of questions like "Why it was built like it was built?" In the back part of the book you find plans and short descriptions of the most important buildings, you find a lot of good photographs and even better articles on single subjects like materials or building techniques.

Alhambra In this book the author Michael Jacobs details the history of this spectacular monument-the stories of the ruling families who lived in the palaces, The capturing and recapturing of this region in Spain, and the myths that surround the Alhambra. Evocative photographs by Francisco Fernandez lead readers on a virtual journey through the various palaces, government and military buildings, mosques, baths, courtyards, and beautiful gardens that make up this mythical place.

Architecture of the Contemporary Mosque Architecture of the Contemporary Mosque Edited by Ismaïl Serageldin with James Steele. No other building is so charged with symbolism, so hemmed in by established architectural convention, and so likely to be scrutinised by friends and critics alike. From this appraisal of the complex and challenging subject of the architecture of the contemporary mosque, Ismaïl Serageldin, James Steele and many specialist contributors, proceed to offer a valuable insight into the development of this building type over the last three decades. In his introductory essays Ismaïl Serageldin provides an historical background and explanation of the development of the mosque, its constructive form, constituent parts, and place in the Muslim city.

The Art and Architecture of Islam: 650-1250 All manner of art is explored in a new edition of Islamic Art and Architecture 650-1250, which surveys works from Spain, Northern Africa and the Middle East. With new illustrations and an expanded text by the late New York University Institute of Fine Arts professor Richard Ettinghausen, Princeton University Institute for Advanced Studies history professor Oleg Grabar and Metropolitan Museum of Art Islamic art curator Marilyn Jenkins-Madina, the book traces the growth of art centers in Muslim lands and examines buildings, textiles, books, ceramics and other forms.

The Arts of Fire: Islamic Influences on Glass and Ceramics of the Italian Renaissance (Paperback) Students and scholars of the Italian Renaissance easily fall under the spell of its achievements: its self-confident humanism, its groundbreaking scientific innovations, its ravishing artistic production. Yet many of the developments in Italian ceramics and glass were made possible by Italy's proximity to the Islamic world.

The Arts of Fire underscores how central the Islamic influence was on this luxury art of the Italian Renaissance. Published to coincide with an exhibition at the Getty Museum on view from May 4 to September 5, 2004, The Arts of Fire demonstrates how many of the techniques of glass and ceramic production and ornamentation were first developed in the Islamic East between the eighth and twelfth centuries. These techniques-enamel and gilding on glass and tin-glaze and luster on ceramics-produced brilliant and colorful decoration that was a source of awe and admiration, transforming these crafts, for the first time, into works of art and true luxury commodities. Essays by Catherine Hess, George Saliba, and Linda Komaroff demonstrate early modern Europe's debts to the Islamic world and help us better understand the interrelationships of cultures over time
 

Iznik: The Artistry of Ottoman Ceramics (Hardcover) Walter B. Denny, Professor of Art History at the University of Massachusetts, offers new perspectives on one of the most popular Islamic art forms. Covering both Iznik pièces de forme and the famous Iznik tiles that decorate Ottoman imperial monuments, the book integrates the entire spectrum of Iznik production, both titles and wares, with the broader artistic tradition in which it originated.
 

Professor Denny begins with a discussion of the particular nature of Islamic art under the Ottomans. He then examines the relationship between the court style of Istanbul and the ceramic ateliers in Iznik in nearby Bithynia, and the crucial role of two styles—dubbed by the author the "enchanted forest" and "heavenly garden" (the saz and aux quartre fleurs styles)—and their creators, Shah Kulu and Kara Memi. Finally, he covers Iznik works with human or animal imagery, the patronage of non-Muslim communities within the Ottoman Empire, and the chronicle of destruction and damage of tiled monuments due to war, earthquake, and fire. The book ends with a look at the extraordinary historical legacy of Iznik ceramics, from early imitations in the Ottoman Empire and Europe to the astonishing appearance of ceramics in the Iznik style created by European studio potters in the nineteenth century. The first study of Iznik ceramics to combine these different thematic elements, the book reflects Professor Denny's ambition, almost thirty-five years after completing his doctoral dissertation on Iznik tiles and after well over a dozen publications on the subject, to create a comprehensive overview of this beautiful and popular art form. 250 illustrations, 230 in color.
 

Glass From Islamic Lands: The al-Sabah Collection - Written By : Stefano Carboni : Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah - U.S. publications - glass from Islamic countries, Part of the al-Sabah Islamic art collection at the Kuwait National Museum, the hundreds of pieces in Glass from Islamic Lands date from the sixth to the 19th century, originated primarily in the Middle East and Asia and had been exported all over the world before the al-Sabah family assembled them. Stefano Carboni, associate curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, has arranged the work chronologically, with 345 color and b&w photographs of lovely glasswork. This catalogue is one of the few U.S. publications devoted to glass from Islamic countries.
 

Glass of the Sultans Written By: Stefano Carboni, David Whitehouse, Robert H. Brill, William Gudenrath - Islamic glassmakers were not only brilliant technicians and innovators in their own right, but they also preserved many of the methods of Late Antique Roman craftsmen, passing them on centuries later to Venetian and other European masters. This lovely book is the first comprehensive study of the accomplishments of these artisans. The volume presents glass objects from collections throughout the world—from perfume flasks to pitchers, mosque lanterns to boxes, inkwells to vases—ranging from the seventh to the nineteenth century and through many of the major artistic centers of the Muslim world.
 

Nishapur: Glass of the Early Islamic Period [1995 First Edition] Tall 4to HB/DJ, Fine/Fine, as new throughout; 256pp. Lavishly illustrated with over 200 plates, representing first comprehensive monograph on glass artifacts from the city of Nishapur, located in eastern Iran, a flourishing center of art, crafts and trade during medieval times, also representing the finest age for Islamic glass-making. Includes full and detailed catalogue of rare artifacts, illustrated in photographs and line drawings with supplementary plates and full references to scholarly literature. Maps and site plans, glossary, concordance, extensive bibliography.
 

Glass: From Sasanian Antecedents to European Imitations (The Nasser D. Khalili Collection of Islamic Art, VOL XV) The Khalili Collection contains more than 300 examples of pre-Islamic and Islamic glass objects that encapsulate the history of ancient glass. This catalogue illustrates the development of glass-making technology from its Byzantine and Sasanian beginnings, and follows it into the nineteenth and twentieth centuries when European makers found new inspiration in Islamic forms.
 

In Association with

BROWSE

Gift Ideas

Best Books of 2007

Editors' Picks: Top 100 Books

Gardens, Landscape, and Vision in the Palaces of Islamic Spain The Gardens, Landscape, and Vision in the Palaces of Islamic Spain offers a new interpretation of the history of gardens in Spain during the period of Islamic rule from the eighth through the fifteenth centuries. Islamic gardens, with their cultivated garden beds and water channels, are traditionally regarded as an early reflection of paradise, which the Koran describes as a "garden watered by four streams." However, D. Fairchild Ruggles argues that the early palace garden was primarily an environmental, economic & political construct, & that paradisiacal symbolism did not develop until gardens acquired tombs. Buy Now

Glass From Islamic Lands: The al-Sabah Collection - Written By : Stefano Carboni : Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah - U.S. publications - glass from Islamic countries, Part of the al-Sabah Islamic art collection at the Kuwait National Museum, the hundreds of pieces in Glass from Islamic Lands date from the sixth to the 19th century, originated primarily in the Middle East and Asia and had been exported all over the world before the al-Sabah family assembled them. Stefano Carboni, associate curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, has arranged the work chronologically, with 345 color and b&w photographs of lovely glasswork. This catalogue is one of the few U.S. publications devoted to glass from Islamic countries. Buy Now

Arabic Calligraphy : Nasikh style for beginners Naskh is among the most popular of the six major Arabic scripts, used in Quran than all other scripts combined. Its origins can be traced back to the late-8th century AD and it is still in use today. The easy to follow, self-study workbook Arabic Calligraphy makes it possible for you to learn and enjoy the beauty of this noble art. The first stroke by stroke guide for learning Arabic calligraphy, it progresses from the initial, medial, and final forms of Arabic letters to joined letters and on to complete words. Guidelines also help you determine which pens, ink, and writing angle to use for best results. Buy Now