Figurative Art in Medieval Islam: And the Riddle of Bihzad of Herat (1465-1535) (Hardcover)

~ Michael Barry (Author), Stuart Cary Welch (Introduction)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The illuminated manuscripts of Kamaluddin Bihzad, a court painter to the early Safavid Dynasty, are revelations of color and form. His figures, rendered with fluid lines, are marvelously expressive, his backgrounds crowded with undulating trees or stunning architectural patterns. The eye is unsure where to alight, until it comes upon a central figure-a turbaned Joseph kneeling on a delicately patterned rug, or a horseman flinching as his mount transfigures into a seven-headed demon. Western scholars of Islamic art have been aware of Bihzad's gifts for some time, but most have dismissively categorized his work as illustrative. However, Barry contends Bihzad's paintings are of an intensely religious quality, despite the Islamic injunction against images. Barry's arguments are convincing, his erudition is impressive, and his book is stuffed with delightful reproductions. But his prose can be repetitive, and his organizational choices can confuse the reader. Why, for example, does Barry discuss the history of "Orientalist" scholarship and Bihzad's influence on Matisse before reporting Bihzad was born around "1465, died in 1535, and was a native of the Central Asian kingdom of Herat, an oasis in what is now northwestern Afghanistan"? In all, the book is a detailed introduction to an unsung genius, but it may be too detailed and circuitous for the casual reader.
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Product Description

This groundbreaking work elucidates the symbolism and an entire allegorical system in Islamic painting of the Golden Age between the fourteenth and seventeenth centuries. Barry, a leading expert on art of the Middle East, focuses his study around the work of Bizhâd, the undisputed master of the Persian miniature and an almost mythical personality. Barry's study follows deliberately the tradition of studies by Erwin Panofsky or Emile Mâle on the symbolism of medieval Christian art. It is of considerable importance for the history of Islamic iconography, the study of which lags a century behind that of Byzantine or the Western Middle Ages.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 408 pages
• Publisher: Flammarion; illustrated edition edition (May 17, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 2080304216
• ISBN-13: 978-2080304216
• Product Dimensions: 12.4 x 9.7 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
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• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #910,944 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)