Artistic Legacy of Islamic Spain and the Caliphate
Islamic art is conditioned by the religion that originated as the Islamic faith. It developed a specific artistic language, including new building types such as the mosque. It also established a new political organization where the caliph assumed both political and religious power. Islamic doctrine prohibits the worship of images, which is why figurative painting was largely excluded.
Architectural Innovation and Eclecticism
Islamic architecture is characterized by eclecticism, meaning its ability to assimilate and reinterpret elements from different cultures—such as the Roman and Visigothic worlds—and fuse them with their own roots to create new forms. They adopted columns and pillars, most usually of Roman origin.
Arches and Vaulting Techniques
The arches used were varied: pointed, semicircular, horseshoe, lobed, mixtilinear, and intertwined. In decks and arches, carved wooden timber was used, alongside the development of vaults and domes. This gave rise to varieties like the bulbous dome, the Caliphate dome (formed by nerves that do not cross in the center), or the gadrooned dome, composed of concave segments.
Decorative Mastery in Islamic Design
Decoration acquires a predominant role in Islamic art, occupying the entire surface of the decorated object. The materials used were plaster, wood, stone, and glazed ceramics. The end result is of great technical and chromatic richness. They utilized Byzantine mosaics, stucco, and tile, always with a scheme based on repetition. It is a flat decoration, whose motifs are primarily:
- Ataurique: Stylized vegetable motifs.
- Epigraphic: Calligraphic scriptures.
- Geometric: Mathematical patterns.
The Caliphate Art of Cordoba
The Great Mosque of Cordoba is doubly important: it serves as a cultural crucible and is a symbol of power for the great caliphs. It underwent successive enlargements under the governments of Abd al-Rahman III, Al-Hakam II, and Almanzor. These enlargements show the consolidation of Caliphate art.
Structural Elements of the Mosque
Every mosque must meet specific requirements for collective prayer:
- Haram: The common space for prayer.
- Sahn: The courtyard, usually containing a source (sabil).
- Qibla: The enclosing wall of the haram, oriented toward Mecca.
- Mihrab: A niche or recess in the qibla.
- Maqsura: An enclosed space in front of the mihrab for the caliph.
- Minaret: A tower used to call the faithful to prayer.
Nasrid Art and the Alhambra of Granada
Every Muslim palace has a dual function: it is the governor's residence and an administrative center. Muslim palaces do not typically have a main facade or a single axis; instead, one passes from one courtyard to another, with rooms perceived as being centered around these open spaces.
Functional Zones of the Palace
The Alhambra can be divided into three main units:
- Mexuar: The administration area.
- Palace Area: Reserved for official receptions.
- Housing Area: Private quarters reserved for the monarch.
In the Alhambra, natural elements play an especially important role, specifically water and vegetation. Another defining characteristic is the decoration; the ornaments seen in the Mosque of Cordoba are still present but acquire total dominance over the architectural space.