Arabesque is an ornament that appeared in the Middle Ages in the Islamic East. In the bizarre interweaving of the pattern, sacredness, mathematics and art are harmoniously linked. The arabesque, photo of which is presented below, decorated almost any surface. The walls and the arch of mosques were covered with such patterns, they were weaved out during the weaving of carpets, placed on jewelry and ceramic dishes. Arabesque, having reached prosperity in the East, conquered Europe. In the Renaissance, famous masters used it to create their masterpieces.
Features of Islamic Art
In the East, there were special conditions for the development of ornament. The Koran forbade the depiction of animals and people. Prophet Muhammad tried by such a law to protect the people from the possibility of turning to pagan beliefs. This rule is especially strict to this day is observed when decorating religious objects and buildings.
The emergence and development of arabesque became a kind of response to such a ban. All the imagination, all the talent of the masters resulted in the creation of bizarre patterns combining plant elements, geometric ornament and calligraphy. The latter, by the way, became a kind of replacement for icon painting. Quotes from sacred texts written in various calligraphic styles adorned the books and walls of mosques. Often, in addition to them, arabesques were also drawn, similar in their bends and curls to beautiful and curiously curved letters.
Oriental arabesque as a geometric art
The ban on the image of living creatures led to the fact that the masters of the Islamic East turned to geometry. Arabesque is an ornament consisting of repeating elements intertwined and diverging in different directions. It is characterized by a clear rhythm, verified with mathematical precision. Arabesque became the embodiment of geometry in art.
A separate element was a whole and finished pattern. Each following gracefully intertwined with the previous one, repeating it and at the same time creating something new. The ornament could end at any moment - its integrity did not suffer from this. This property has contributed to the widespread use of arabesques. Walls, ceilings and arches, fabrics, carpets, metal and clay products were decorated with patterns .
Features
Arab arabesque, despite the geometric accuracy, was not boring. The mathematical approach did not deprive the ornament of artistic value. Arabesques contained both geometric elements and plant elements. Flowers, buds, stems and leaves intertwined, creating a continuous carpet or leaving room for a new pattern. A distinctive feature of Islamic art is the so-called fear of emptiness. The ornament covered the surface, leaving no room for the background. This feature reflects the religious beliefs of Muslims about the "fabric of the Universe", endlessly continuing and without end.
Arabesque as a meditative image
Arabesque - rhythmic and bewitching ornament. When looking at repeating elements, it is easy to drown in this sea of interwoven patterns. And therefore, arabesque is a great tool for meditation. It scatters in a special way attention, forcing to forget about the hustle and bustle of the outside world and plunge into the inner world. The ornament was often part of the interior decoration of mosques. Here, his meditative function helped to focus on prayer, forgetting about earthly affairs.
Arabesque in Europe
During the Renaissance, European ties with the Arab world intensified significantly. Along with many other knowledge from Muslim countries, the artistic achievements of the East also came here. Arabesque has become an element of fine art in Europe. It was used in his creations by Leonardo da Vinci. The master devoted a fair amount of time to drawing intricate patterns.
Ornaments similar to arabesques are also present in the paintings of Dürer and Raphael. Many masters of the Renaissance and later periods drew inspiration from the patterns that covered Muslim art objects.
Inexhaustible source of creativity
The arabesque (photo is given in the article) fascinates both modern artists and masters of the last century. Modernists of the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries also turned to her. The Arabesques inspired Aubrey Beardsley, who lived and worked at the end of the century before last. Geometry in the form of elegant ornaments was also loved by Danish graphic artist M.S. Escher.
Today, arabesque is a pattern that is still popular. Now most often a floral designation is denoted by a similar name . The geometric pattern is named "sea". Ornaments resembling medieval arabesques can be found on the wallpaper and decoration of buildings, in the work of graphic artists and artisans. They are inspired by modern interior designers and fashion designers, jewelry makers and decorators.
Zentangle and doodling trends that are fashionable in fine art today remotely remind of Arab mosques and carpets dotted with ornaments. It is not difficult in our time to find fabrics mesmerizing with their pattern. The bizarre interweaving of plant patterns, subordinated to a single rhythm, is nothing but the same arabesque, rooted in the distant Middle Ages. We can safely say that now this ornament has become an integral part of world art, while remaining at the same time a characteristic feature of the culture of Muslim peoples.