Islamic Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Islamic Art - Essay Example For this reason, construction of mosques as well as other buildings related to religion was considered the responsibility of rulers of that time. Therefore, the patronage of caliphs played an important role in the development of early Islamic art forms. This patronage allowed the birth of Islamic architecture, the decoration of religious buildings and their furnishings; a trend that was previously unknown to the world. In contrast to the art forms of other regions which utilize sculptures or paintings as the predominant form of expression, the Islamic art utilizes decoration as a medium or art and expression. The initial manifestations of this type of art work are seen in monuments and mosques of those times, which portray decoration that is extraordinary and expensive in nature. Due to the vital position of mosques in the Islamic society, decoration as a medium of expression was applied on these buildings during the early period of Islam   (Lapidus 97). Another unique art form ter med calligraphy also started to evolve; this time into patterns that were not only meant to communicate the message of Islam, but also to contribute to the aesthetic value of mosques and other religious buildings. This decorative use of the sacred texts in buildings that was religious in nature paved way for various art forms that were aesthetically appealing to a wider audience. Hence calligraphy started finding place in objects like stone, wood, glass, pottery and textiles. Dome of the rock was built in the seventh century.