From the Islamic Galleries at the Musee du Louvre (Paris, France)
In his book, Covering Islam, author Edward Said argues that, “very little of the detail, the human density, the passion of Arab-Muslim life has entered the awareness of even those people whose profession it is to report the Islamic world.” He’s referring to the fact that there is a marginalized view of the Arab world, one that is often misrepresented and lacking of perspective.
I believe he is right. In the fall of 2012, I registered for a course titled, "Islam and the West," which focused on what Islam is, its teachings, and its relation to the rest of the world. I distinctly remember on the first day of class, our professor asked each one of us to describe what the west was. As a group of American students studying in a foreign country with a dense population of Muslims, we were naïve (and at times ignorant) about this faith, but could easily distinguish that there was Islam, and then there was something else; the “other”. Perhaps more learned behavior than instinctually, we all categorized the west as being different from Islam, despite considering our classroom environment (London) as being both the home to many Muslims and “western.” Herein lies the first dichotomy.
Even now, I can’t say I fully understand Islam. I went to a cultural center that doubled as a mosque and spoke to an Imam. I listened as my professor tried to explain the breadth of the religion and his personal experiences growing up Muslim. I can’t even verify the extent he knows Islam, because it is just that rich in history and context. I regard its complexity, and I can sometimes relate to people when they are reluctant to embrace what they don’t know. Furthermore, it oftentimes gets a bad reputation from the media in America.
From the Islamic Galleries at the Musee du Louvre (Paris, France)
And yet, I spent a weekend in Istanbul and repositioned Islam in my mind. I opened up to a new world, and experienced some of the most amazing architecture, art and hospitality that I have ever witnessed. I visited historical sights from hundreds of years ago, and instantly felt like I was in the presence of something greater than myself. And I walked into religious buildings that belonged to a different religion than my own and I understood their peace.
All of this said, I connected most with the art I saw on the walls of the buildings. The mosaic walls of the harem and its courtyard in Topkapi Palace took my breath away. Not only were they stunning, but they seemed perfect and continuous.
So when I went into the new Islamic Galleries at the Musee du Louvre in Paris, I was instantly attracted to the mosaic displays. Multiple columns of unique mosaics adorned the back wall of the downstairs gallery.
The plaque adjacent to the mosaic display said the following: (1560-1620) The heyday of Iznik and Kutahya wares; Large quantities of underglase painted ceramic tiles were produced in Iznik and Kutahya. They were intended for monuments erected by sultans and high officials, mainly in Istanbul. Designers attached to the palace would sometimes provide their models. Around 1555-1560 there appeared a red colour in slight relief obtained by an iron slip. This red was soon associated with emerald green. In mosques, mausoleums or rooms in a palace, walls could be fully tiled right up to the base of the vaults. In some religious buildings ceramic tiling adorned on the mihrab area, as well as the tops of windows and doors, as the tyrupana from Piyale Pasha Mosque.
In the Harem's Courtyard at Topkapi Palace in Istanbul | Adriana Anderson (center)
There are pieces in Islamic art that are just as, if not more, powerful than these mosaics. However, the history of the use of these mosaics is what I find really interesting. For example, the photo of myself is from the harem, where all the women associated with the sultan would live, including the mother of the sultan and the concubines she watched over, in addition to the sultan’s wives. Could you imagine having such beautiful mosaics adorn your walls? Mind you, these walls were extensive (upwards of 400 rooms in this particular harem). It is definitely a sight, whether you are looking at these blocks of mosaic walls in a museum, or an entire harem. The intricacies are incredible, the history is overwhelming, and it is just one example of how the unknown can be incredibly worthwhile.