Arabesques. Decorative Art in Morocco [Hardcover]

Jean Marc Castera (Author), Fran oise Peuriot (Author), Philippe Ploquin (Author), Kirk McElhearn (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1999

This volume throws light upon an art expression to be found clad in the garments of Moroccan architecture. This work provides keys to the understanding of geometrical arabesques. This art of a rare and precious mastery was elaborated through the determined efforts of generations of anonymous artists.
A brief historical survey defines the specificity of Islamic art in Morocco. Three principal styles of decorative architecture are studied: calligraphy, floral arabesque, and geometrical arabesque. Illustrations and photographs of some of the most beautiful sites of Morocco (monuments, royal palaces and cities) are a pleasure for the eye.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 480 pages
• Publisher: Art Creation Realisation (April 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 2867701244
• ISBN-13: 978-2867701245
• Product Dimensions: 11.6 x 10.4 x 1.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #570,567 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Worth every penny, August 30, 2000

By 

A. Jesse Davis (Redmond, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Arabesques. Decorative Art in Morocco (Hardcover)

I attended a lecture by Jean-Marc at Microsoft's MOSAIC (Microsymposium on Analysis and Synthesis of Intuitively Conceived Geometrical Art). Castera's work is unique and brilliant. The book is worth it for the hundreds, maybe thousands of giant color plates of Morroccan mosaics alone, and Castera's exposition of the artistic technique and culture of North Africa is excellent.

The core of his work, though, is the mathematical analysis of mosque mosaics, and his rigorous but accessible explanation of tiling rules is fantastic. He goes all the way from how to construct a Solomon's Seal on graph paper to multi-dimensional group theory and back again. I can't say enough good things about Castera's work and this book.

Consider it an investment in a lifetime fascination.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Zeligs, Moroccan Stars, Musharibi fretwork galore and more, January 12, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Arabesques. Decorative Art in Morocco (Hardcover)

I truly adore this book. It comes in a hard case and beautifully bound edition. Author has dones extensive research on the structural and composition of these complicated and intricated Islamic patterns, providing existing examples and computer generated illustrations. You better have a fair grasp of math and geometry if you want to create these images. It is an expensive book but worthy of its price for the scholarly work. Probably the only improvement one can think of adding to this publication is a CD insert with the software that can produce the complex design and forms.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful...but, September 3, 2009

By 

D K - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Arabesques. Decorative Art in Morocco (Hardcover)

Fantastic book, but Amazon is incapable of packing a heavy book properly at this time. They use a few airbags in a large box and the book slides around and gets badly dented by the time it arrives. They did this again when I ordered a replacement.