Islamic Arts and Crafts: An Anthology

Description

Islamic art is justly famed for its technological sophistication, varied approaches to ornament, and innovative employment of the written word. But what do we know about the skilled artisans who spent their lives designing and creating the paintings, objects and buildings that are so admired today? This anthology of written sources (dating from the seventh to the twentieth centuries) explores numerous aspects of the crafts of the Middle East from the processing of raw materials to the manufacture of finished artefacts. You will learn about: the legal and ethical dimensions of the arts and crafts, the organisation of labour in urban and rural contexts, the everyday lives of artisans, the gendered dimensions of making things, and the impact of industrialisation upon traditional methods of manufacture. Each chapter begins with an introduction providing a wider context for the primary sources. There are also suggestions for further reading. Review "Marcus Milwright's 'Islamic Arts and Crafts: An Anthology' illustrates his mastery of written sources as well as the diverse materials, processes, and objects they discuss. With substantial scholarly apparatus in the form of notes, bibliography, index, and appendix, it will help shape the growing field of Islamic material culture as well as that of Islamic art." -- Amanda Phillips, University of Virginia, College Art Association Reviews About the Author Marcus Milwright is a professor in the Department of Art History and Visual Studies, University of Victoria. His research interests include the art and archaeology of the Islamic world, cross-cultural contact in the Medieval and early Modern periods, traditional craft practices across the Islamic world, and the history of medicine. He is involved in archaeological and art-historical research in the Middle East, Greece, Canada, and Britain. Islamic Arts and Crafts Copyright Contents Figures Acknowledgements Notes for the reader Image and text acknowledgements Introduction 1 Theoretical formulations 2 The organisation of labour 3 Rituals, songs and poems 4 Biographical information 5 The lives of artisans and artists 6 Raw materials I: minerals 7 Raw materials II: plants 8 Raw materials III: animals 9 Mining and metal preparation 10 City descriptions 11 Copper 12 Iron and steel 13 Other metals: gold, silver and tin 14 Pottery 15 Glass 16 Wood 17 Basketry and matting 18 Leather 19 Spinning, bleaching and dyeing 20 Weaving 21 Rugs, carpets and felt 22 Papyrus and paper 23 Calligraphy 24 Painting 25 Building techniques 26 Vaulting and architectural decoration 27 Engineering 28 Recycling and repair Glossary Bibliography Index