Luxury of Islamic Art
Luxury of Islam art includes vegetal and floral art, geometrical art and calligraphy. The use of this form of art "conditioned to some extent by the Islamic prohibition of the imitation of living creatures" (Saoud). The artwork did not have a representation of life in them. For instance, the Dome of the Rock Mosque there is an absence of a portrayed life in the artwork. The geometrical art was influenced by its ability to be used in the mosques to facilitate spiritual meditation. Due to the increase in popularity of science in the Muslim world, the geometrical art grew. The calligraphy art was meant to provide both decoration and influence worship and remembrance of Allah. Another thing which motivated the artists to have the calligraphy art is the Arabic language which is important to Islam for example, the Transcript of Naskhi. Islamic art diffused to the west in a number of ways. One is the imitation of the Islamic themes and medium, for instance, the Kufic inscriptions were copied. The second way is the source/media transposition. A furniture theme in Islamic was used in other objects such as ceramic, textile among others in Europe. The third way is that Islamic art inspired the European Rococo and Baroque styles.
Prompt 2
Shwezigon Pagoda is a Buddhist architecture from South and South East Asia. The work consists of large gold-leaf gilded temples in which smaller temples surrounds it all forming a religious place. The temple was built by King Anawrahta to enshrine the Buddhist remains. The tooth and a bone of Gautama Buddha were enshrined in the Pagoda. The complex is also made up of statues which represent both past and current age Buddha (Renown Travel).
The Mountain-Shaped Censer
The mountain-shaped censer is an artwork from China which has a connection with Daoism. The artwork represents a sacred peak which is filled with animals and godly beings (Cassidy). In Daoism, mountains are sacred and are places of worship and meditation as they connect heaven and earth.
Bhumisparsha Mudra
Bhumisparsha Mudra is a statue which represents the life of Buddha who is an important being to the Buddhists. The statue is in a form of Buddha gesture which means that the "earth is the witness of his enlightenment" (Burmese Art). It also represents his victory over the demon, Mara, and the followers. The Three Purities of Taoism, on the other hand, represents the three pure ones and the highest of the deities in Daoism. They are the Jade, supreme and grand pure ones. They are important beings in Daoism each with a different task. The jade is the greatest among the three pure ones as he is the "source of learning and the primordial author of the first of the Taoist scriptures" (Reninger). The supreme serves the Jade by informing human beings and lesser gods of the Taoist scriptures. The Grand majorly serves in the human sovereignty.
Prompt 3
The Tale of Genji
The Tale of Genji is a literary work which explains the life of Genji and after his death. It explains life matters like love. The work is also connected to women. Genji had a number of lovers and concubines who expressed different emotions towards him but although they were being exploited, they seemed to not understand it. The people who lived during that time were guided by societal traditions, norms, and rules. The women were seen as lesser objects compared to men. They were also expected to adhere to the rules of society during that time. With the societal rules and being placed below men, this made women sexual objects of the emperor, Genji.
Works cited
Burmese Art. "Explanation about the Bhumisparsha Mudra - Hand Position." The Largest Collection Old, Original and Antique Buddha Statues - Budha Images from Burma, www.burmese-art.com/about-buddha-statues/hand-positions/bhumisparsha-mudra. Accessed 1 July 2018.
Cassindy, Victor M. "Artnet.com Magazine Features - Taoism and the Arts of China." Artnet, 2018, www.artnet.com/Magazine/features/cassidy/cassidy1-10-01.asp.
Reninger, Elizabeth. "The Three Purities of Taoism - An Introduction." ThoughtCo, 10 June 2008, www.thoughtco.com/the-three-purities-of-taoism-3182932. Accessed 1 July 2018.
Renown Travel. "Shwezigon Pagoda - Impressive Gold Plated Paya Bagan." Renown Travel & Tour Agency Bangkok, Thailand, 2010, www.renown-travel.com/burma/bagan/shwezigon-pagoda.html. Accessed 1 July 2018.
Saoud, R. Introduction to Islamic Art. Muslim Heritage, 2004.
