Three Traditions of Self-Similarity in Fourteenth and Fifteenth Century Islamic Geometric Ornament
Inhaltsverzeichnis
Reference
Jay Bonner: Three Traditions of Self-Similarity in Fourteenth and Fifteenth Century Islamic Geometric Ornament. In: Bridges 2003. Pages 1–12
DOI
Abstract
As early as the ninth century Muslim artists began incorporating multiple-level designs into their ornament. In time, this fascination found expression in each of the three principle areas of Islamic two- dimensional artistic expression: calligraphy, the floral idiom, and geometric pattern. In both the western regions of Morocco and Andalusia, and the eastern regions of Persia, Khurasan and Transoxiana, during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries respectively, previously established systematic methods of two- dimensional geometric pattern construction were used in the development of three distinct traditions of self-similar geometric design. These innovations resulted in the last great advancement in the long history of Islamic geometric pattern making. Furthermore, these patterns are very likely the first, and among the most engaging, examples of complex overtly self-similar art made by man.
The traditional techniques used in the creation of Islamic self-similar patterns, overviewed herein, are easily learned and open to further creative development. In addition to new and original two-dimensional periodic designs (as per historic examples), further areas of stylistically Islamic self-similar geometric pattern innovation can include their application to aperiodic tilings, as well as non-Euclidean hyperbolic and spherical surface coverage.
Extended Abstract
Bibtex
Used References
Unlike earlier Umayyad window grills, the example from the Ibn Tulun has a multiple-level quality.
The Persian term yezdi bendi translates as the work ofYezd".
Kufi is among the earliest Arabic scripts. Its many forms are characterized by an angular quality.
The alifis tlie first letter of the Arabic alphabet. It is an ascender that is made from a single vertical stroke.
Thuluth is one of the principle cursive Arabic scripts, and widely used in both the book arts and epigraphy.
Jay Bonner, Islamic Geometric Patterns, White Cloud Press (forthcoming).
Gulru Necipoglu, The Topkapi Scroll; pp. 35-39.
Eric Weisstein's World of Mathematics: http://mathworld.wolfram.comlsearchl Gulru Necipoglu, Ibid. The historic significance of the Topkapi Scroll has been fully detailed in this work. Shatranji Kufi is an extreme angular script wherein each letter is determined by the orthographic grid. A system of Islamic vaulting made up of many small clustered arched elements. Also referred to as star-net vaulting: made from an array of overlapping arches, creating a star at the apex.
Antony Hutt and Leonard Harrow, Iran 2, Scorpion Publications Ltd., 1979, pp. 61.;65.
Gulru Necipoglu, Ibid. Scroll references in this paper use the nlimbering system of Professor Necipoglu.
Gulru Necipoglu, Ibid. pp. 37-38.
Jay Bonner, Ibid. This work details a variety of techniques used to create Islamic geometric patterns.
Jay Bonner, Ibid. Prooffor the traditional use of this system is detail in the author's forthcoming book
Jay Bonner, Ibid. The construction of these elements is detailed in the author's forthcoming book.
Gulru Necipoglu, Ibid., p. 239; p. 249, no. 28; p. 300, no. 28.
Jean-Marc Castera, Arabesque: Decorative Arts in Morocco; Arc Edition, 1999, pp. 276~277.
Jean-Marc Castera, Ibid., pp.276-277.
Jay Bonner, Geodazzlers, Design Science Toys. http://www.dstoys.comlgd.html
Craig Kaplan, Computer Graphics and Geometric Ornamental Design. Ph.D. University of Washington, Seattle, 2002, pp. 67-90. http://www.cgl.uwaterloo.ca/-cskiphdl
Links
Full Text
http://archive.bridgesmathart.org/2003/bridges2003-1.pdf
