Lecture (LEC)

• COLL (CASE) A&H Breadth of Inq
• IUB GenEd A&H credit
• IUB GenEd World Culture credit
• COLL (CASE) Global Civ & Cultr

• Above class open to undergraduates only
• IUB GenEd A&H credit
• IUB GenEd World Culture credit
• COLL (CASE) A&H Breadth of Inquiry credit
• COLL (CASE) Global Civ & Culture credit

This course surveys Islamic art from the 7th century to modernity/contemporaneity. We will examine key themes such as the concept of Islam, the figure of the Prophet Muhammad, and the poetry of the Quran, and how these subjects intertwine with visual artistic manifestations defined as Islamic. We will explore the astonishing world of Islamic art through the discussion of emblematic early sites like the Kaba in Mecca and the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. The geographical spread of Islam over many centuries developed a new artistic vocabulary that, instead of homogenizing different territories, fused with pre-existing art traditions such as the Byzantine, Persian, North African, Southern Spanish, Anatolian, Central Asian, Mesopotamian, and Indian models. These fusions led to the formation of complex and hybrid works of art and architecture. Historical events and discourses such as the Medieval Crusades, Colonialism and Post-colonialism, and Orientalism will further complicate and enrich our discussions of what constitutes Islamic art.