Editing Islamic art (section)

== Ceramics ==
{{main|Islamic pottery}}
[[File:Iran orientale o asia centrale, coppa, x sec 02.JPG|thumb|left|10th-century dish from East Persia]]

Islamic art has very notable achievements in ceramics, both in [[pottery]] and [[tile]]s for walls, which in the absence of wall-paintings were taken to heights unmatched by other cultures. Early pottery is often unglazed, but [[Tin-glazing|tin-opacified glazing]] was one of the earliest new technologies developed by the Islamic potters. The first Islamic opaque glazes can be found as blue-painted ware in [[Basra]], dating to around the 8th century. Another significant contribution was the development of [[Stoneware|stonepaste ceramics]], originating from 9th century Iraq.<ref>Mason (1995), p. 5</ref> The first industrial complex for [[glass]] and [[pottery]] production was built in [[Raqqa]], [[Syria]], in the 8th century.<ref name=Henderson>{{Cite journal |first1=J. |last1=Henderson |first2=S. D. |last2=McLoughlin |first3=D. S. |last3=McPhail |year=2004 |title=Radical changes in Islamic glass technology: evidence for conservatism and experimentation with new glass recipes from early and middle Islamic Raqqa, Syria |journal=Archaeometry |volume=46 |issue=3 |pages=439–68 |doi=10.1111/j.1475-4754.2004.00167.x|bibcode=2004Archa..46..439H }}</ref> Other centers for innovative pottery in the Islamic world included [[Fustat]] (from 975 to 1075), Damascus (from 1100 to around 1600) and [[Tabriz]] (from 1470 to 1550).<ref>Mason (1995), p. 7</ref>  [[Lusterware]]s with iridescent colours may have continued pre-Islamic Roman and Byzantine techniques, but were either invented or considerably developed on pottery and glass in Persia and Syria from the 9th century onwards.<ref>Arts, 206–207</ref>

Islamic pottery was [[Chinese influences on Islamic pottery|often influenced]] by [[Chinese ceramics]], whose achievements were greatly admired and emulated.<ref>See Rawson throughout; Canby, 120–123, and see index; Jones & Mitchell, 206–211</ref> This was especially the case in the periods after the [[Mongol invasion]]s and those of the [[Timurid dynasty|Timurids]]. Techniques, shapes and decorative motifs were all affected. Until the [[Early Modern]] period Western ceramics had very little influence, but Islamic pottery was very sought after in Europe, and often copied. An example of this is the [[albarello]], a type of [[maiolica]] earthenware jar originally designed to hold [[Apothecary|apothecaries']] ointments and dry drugs. The development of this type of [[pharmacy]] jar had its roots in the Islamic Middle East. [[Hispano-Moresque]] examples were exported to Italy, stimulating the earliest Italian examples, from 15th century Florence.

[[File:Animal Decorated Ottoman Pottery P1000585.JPG|thumb|[[Iznik pottery|Iznik glazed pottery]] ca. 1575]]

The [[Hispano-Moresque]] style emerged in  [[Al-Andalus]] - Muslim Spain - in the 8th century, under Egyptian influence, but most of the best production was much later, by potters presumed to have been largely Muslim but working in areas reconquered by the Christian kingdoms. It mixed Islamic and European elements in its designs, and much was exported across neighbouring European countries. It had introduced two [[ceramic]] techniques to [[Europe]]: [[ceramic glaze|glazing]] with an [[Opacity (optics)|opaque]] white [[tin-glazing|tin-glaze]], and [[Lusterware|painting in metallic lusters]]. Ottoman [[İznik pottery]] produced most of the best work in the 16th century, in tiles and large vessels boldly decorated with floral motifs influenced, once again, by Chinese Yuan and Ming ceramics.  These were still in earthenware; there was no porcelain made in Islamic countries until modern times, though Chinese porcelain was imported and admired.<ref>Savage, 175, suggests that the Persians had made some experiments towards producing it, and the earliest European porcelain, [[Medici porcelain]], was made in the late 16th century, perhaps with a Persian or [[Levantines (Latin Christians)|Levantine]] assistant on the team.</ref>

The medieval Islamic world also had pottery with painted animal and human imagery. Examples are found throughout the medieval Islamic world, particularly in [[Iran|Persia]] and [[Egypt]].<ref>{{Cite book |title=Metalwork in Medieval Islamic Art |first=Eva |last=Baer |year=1983 |publisher=[[State University of New York Press]] |isbn=0-87395-602-8 |pages=58, 86, 143, 151, 176, 201, 226, 243, 292, 304}}</ref>

===Tiling===
{{further|Islamic geometric patterns|Tessellation}}

[[File:HeratFridayMosque.jpg|thumb|left|Tiled exterior of the [[Friday Mosque of Herat]], [[Afghanistan]]]]
The earliest grand Islamic buildings, like the [[Dome of the Rock]] in [[Jerusalem]], had interior walls decorated with [[mosaic]]s in the Byzantine style, but without human figures. From the 9th century onwards the distinctive Islamic tradition of glazed and brightly coloured [[tile|tiling]] for interior and exterior walls and [[dome]]s developed. Some earlier schemes create designs using mixtures of tiles each of a single colour that are either cut to shape or are small and of a few shapes, used to create abstract geometric patterns.  Later large painted schemes use tiles painted before firing with a part of the scheme – a technique requiring confidence in the consistent results of firing.

Some elements, especially the letters of inscriptions, may be moulded in three-dimensional [[relief]], and in especially in Persia certain tiles in a design may have figurative painting of animals or single human figures. These were often part of designs mostly made up of tiles in plain colours, but with larger fully painted tiles at intervals. The larger tiles are often shaped as eight-pointed stars, and may show animals or a human head or bust, or plant or other motifs. The geometric patterns, such as modern North African [[zellij]] work, made of small tiles each of a single colour but different and regular shapes, are often referred to as "[[mosaic]]", which is not strictly correct.

The Mughals made much less use of tiling, preferring (and being able to afford) "parchin kari", a type of [[pietra dura]] decoration from inlaid panels of semi-precious stones, with jewels in some cases. This can be seen at the [[Taj Mahal]], [[Agra Fort]] and other imperial commissions. The motifs are usually floral, in a simpler and more realistic style than Persian or Turkish work, relating to plants in Mughal miniatures.