Islamic Art and Architecture
Following a request, in 2005, for a large set of images illustrating Islamic art and architecture in Spain, the Institute began a project that will eventually provide a comprehensive database of images illustrating the origins and evolution of Islamic culture intended for educational use. The first step was to systematically document the evolution of Islamic art and architecture during the early years of the westward movement toward Spain as well as the contributions that Al Andalus eventually made to North African culture, particularly in the years following 1492.
The result, from field work conducted in 2006, was a collection of images taken in Tunisia and Morocco concentrating on the most important examples of Islamic religious architecture from sites including Kairouan, Sousse, Sfax, Tunis, Rabat, Fez, Meknes, Casablanca, Marakech, Ouarzazate, Chefchaouen, Tetouan, and Tangier.
In 2007 further field work, this time in Turkey, has produced a large collection illustrating Ottoman art and architecture, particularly the work of Sinan, the great court architect of the 16th century.
In January, 2008, further field work will produce a set of images examining Islamic Cairo. A projected trip to Syria in April/May 2008 will document important examples of Islamic art and Architecture in Damascus and Allepo. An extensive field trip through Central Asia and down the Silk Roads is in the planning stages.
Gallery of Images
©NOTICE
I reserve all rights to the following images. They are provided free of charge for educational purposes here, and may be freely accessed for viewing within the context of this website for educational purposes. However, these images are protected by copyright law and may not be copied for any purpose by any means without prior permission. The original slides, or high resolution scans via e-mail are available for academic use to interested scholars upon inquiry at
drkiracofe@interamericaninstitute.org
I have provided a small group representative images here. A complete set of images from these sites, either from original digital photography or slide duplicates (both formats were used in the original work) or scans of the original slide images together with metadata in spreadsheet format, is also available, for a fee, to accredited institutions for on campus educational use.
Complete catalogues are available upon request.
Because the images presented here are intended only as samples they have been reduced in size and pixel count from the originals. However you may click on any of the thumbnails below to view them at 22% of original size. Use the Back button on your browser to return to thumbnail. Full size high resolution images are available.
See also: Islamic and Mudejar Art and Architecture in Spain
Morocco
Tunisia
Egypt
These are images of mosques in Cairo
New Gourna
An experiment in rural Egypt, Hassan Fathy's famous 1940s project to create a new community for the people of Gourna near the Valley of the Kings.
Life Along the Nile
These images, while not related to art or architecture, were taken to provide a glimpse of life along the Nile in contemporary rural Egypt. These images were taken between Luxor and Aswan.
felucca regatta at Aswan
Turkey
These above are some of my favorite images of beautiful Turkey and her lovely, welcoming people.
Selimiye Mosque in Edirne, regarded as Sinan's masterpiece.
Rustem Pasa Mosque, Istanbul, a little jewel box by Sinan
The Muradiye Mosque complex, Bursa
These above are from Konya and include some early Seljuk buildings.
I will post more as time permits