The Real Story of Representational Art in Islam
There is, in fact, a rich tradition of representational art featuring animals, flowers, people, nature, and functional objects from books and teapots to horse carriages and buildings, as well as mythical creatures such as griffons and dragons. Representational art is especially prominent in Islamic book paintings, called miniatures. Indeed, they are used in a wide array of manuscripts, from scientific works to historical accounts and poems.
It is a common belief that Islam forbids art that shows the human figure, but the issue is more nuanced. Depictions of the Prophet Mohammed are taboo and socially unacceptable. A proliferation of images of the prophet in comics, newspapers, contests and other media has created extensive controversy in the United States and beyond in the last few years. Debates have surged over the issues of freedom of speech, blasphemy, and unnecessary provocation of religious sensitivities. While the images are offensive to some Muslims, those on the other side bristle at the idea of being restrained by what they see as irrational religious doctrine. Just because someone can create a cartoon of Muhammad for the sole purpose of drawing ire, is it morally right to do so? At the root of the issue is strict adherence to a core tenet of Islam: the worship of God alone. Pictures of the prophet are thought to promote idolatry which is a clear contradiction of the oneness of God. Therefore, depictions of Mohammed, who is a messenger and not a representation of God, are seen as profane and insulting to Muslims. Instead, Islam uses other art forms as adornment such as calligraphy and intricate tile work.
CREATING A MANUSCRIPT:
Manuscripts were created by teams of highly specialized – and usually anonymous – artists in libraries, schools and workshops. They date back to the first centuries of the Islamic calenda, which began in 622 CE. The production of such manuscripts was very time-consuming and costly, and as a result only the wealthy could afford them.
Creating a manuscript required several steps. First, a librarian had to determine the layout of each page and decide which scribes and artists he would need for the particular project. Calligraphers would then press lines into the paper and transcribe the text using ink and a reed pen.
Once this phase was completed, the manuscript would be handed over to several artists who would illustrate the text using mixtures of gold, lapis lazuli and other ground minerals. They were usually overseen by a master artist who was in charge of the overall composition of the miniatures and the most difficult illustrations. Other artists added illuminations as decorative details to the text, especially around the chapter headings, section breaks, borders and frontispieces.
