Islamic Art

Islamic art encompasses the arts produced from the 7th century onwards by people (not necessarily Muslim) who lived within the territory that was inhabited by culturally Islamic populations.It includes fields as varied as architecture, calligraphy, painting, and ceramics, among others. Islamic art presents a certain stylistic unity, owing to the mobility of artists, merchants, rulers, and the works themselves. The use of a common Arabic script throughout the Islamic world, and the particular value placed upon calligraphy, helped to reinforce this unity. Nevertheless, the great differences in form and ornament between countries and eras has led many to speak of the “arts of Islam” rather than of a single “Islamic art.”