ARABESQUE.

Arabesque simply means "in the Arab fashion" in French and few scholars of Islamic art use it until today.

Arabesque is an element of Islamic art usually found for decoration on walls of the mosques, the arabesque is an elaborative application of repeating geometric forms that often echo from plants, shapes and sometimes animals.

The choices and formation of these geometric forms are depending upon the Islamic view of the world where they also said that the patterns concretely symbolize the infinite, and therefore uncentralized nature of the creation of one God. Mostly Islamic arabesque artist always conveys spirituality without the iconography of the Christian world.

HISTORY OF ARABESQUE

Until today scholars still debating on the origins of arabesque pattern although it is clearly evident that much of the development and acceptance of this art were due to the Muslims. Like any other primitive arts, this primitive geometrical decoration was used in the early Mesopotamia, Persia, Syria and also India where the usage of the star patterns has been widely used by the Copts of Egypt.

The early Islamic era adopted the semi naturalistic pre-Islamic motifs and patterns inspired from the barbarian nomads, Romans, followed by the diversity of ideas and experimentation according to the taste of the new Muslim generation. The highly abstract form was originated features the most original pattern generally known as the arabesque back in the early 10th to 12th century. Then followed by Napoleon’s framed expedition in the early 19th century, which contribute to the Orientalism phenomenon in Europe.

Back to the 16th century, first in Italy and then in the north was where the Islamic-style vegetal patterns were than developed. It was when the empires of the Ottomans, Safavids and the Mughals complicated versions of established their pattern were utilize which created the interest in naturalistic-looking flowers or

15th century arabesque, the ottoman anatolia

blossoms. With it visual reference to the paradise, vegetal motifs and patterns in the Islamic art are largely being used and have their own symbolic meaning.

However, this geometric artwork in the form of Arabesque was not widely used in the Islamic world but not until the golden age of Islam. At this time, ancient text were translated from the Greek and Latin into Arabic, where this were the times when many of great Islamic scholars were born in various fields like medicine, mathematics, geography, physics and many others. For an example, the works of Plato became popular at the time, which it was his ideas about the existence of a separate reality that was perfect in form, function and crystalline in character also contributed to the development of the Arabesque.

ITS SYMBOLIZATION

The complexity and beauty of the Islamic geometric patterns always have the source of interest not only among Muslims but also other religions too.

The Arabesques is a symbolic of their united faith and the way in which traditional Islamic cultures view the world which are, first, it recall the principles that govern the order of the worlds such as what objects structurally sound. Secondly, it is based upon the flowing nature of plant forms where it recalls the feminine nature if life giving.

Moreover, these geometric patterns create the aura of spirituality without abandoned the teaching of Islam. Thus, it shows the purity and orderliness of patterns and symmetries could create the sense of beauty and calmness where it will stimulate the intellect rather than trap in dreams and illusions.

TYPES OF ARABESQUE

There are basically 2 types of Arabesque found in the Islamic art, which are:

The wall decoration of Al-Hambra wall

Details on the wall of the hall of ambassador in Al-

Hambra,Spain.

1. Geometric interlacing works or geometric patterns

2. Stylized plant forms or vegetal forms

1. GEOMETRIC PATTERNS.

This was said the reasons why the Islamic world unites which is the factor of construction and meaning of Islamic geometric arabesque. This principle is seen in the clean and clear construction in the arabesques on various mosques and other Islamic buildings although they are in different countries, cultures and era.

Geometric patterns vary in their complexity and design, from a simple shapes to a very complex polygons and stars where they are constructed from the basic elements such as triangles, circles, squares, stars and polygons. Is was said that the theory of the Islamic geometrical patterns are based on the ‘square and hexagonal repeat unit and the root two and root three system of proportion’. For an example a circle can be divide into four,

or multiples of four, and other equal parts.

2. VEGETAL FORMS.

CONSTRUCTION OF SHAPES THROUGH

CIRCLE

CONSTRUCTION OF TRIANGLE

CONSTRUCTION OF HEXAGON

CONSTRUCTION OF SQUARE

These patterns are used along with the geometric patterns or as a filling for the complex geometric patterns. It consists of combination or individual forms of many leaves and plants especially the vine leaves, simply because they continuously growing and shows the concept of infinity. Vegetal forms also are one of the ways to show and appreciate the beauty of Allah and His creation. Usually these forms are placed besides a contrasting background so that they will give an emphasis to the foreground.

These kind of forms are widely and commonly used in ceramics, woodwork, even in carpets and textiles. In Ottoman empire or the Ottoman art usually use the large and feathery leaves called saz has been very popular and were used in drawings just to show just one or more leaves. Besides the Ottoman, the Chinese Muslims also used these vegetal forms on the porcelain, replaces the arabesque such as in pottery, textile and also miniature.

The iwan of Taj Mahal using the vegetal forms

of arabesques

1800’s pair of Islamic Mamluk Revival

Candelsticks

16th century tile panel with vegetal forms of

arabesques

An Iznik pottery plate with vegetal forms of

leaves and flowers, Turkey.