The Art of the Islamic Tile

by Gerard Degeorge, Yves Porter

Islamic ceramic tilework is surely one of the most magnificent forms of decorative art in the world. Through the centuries Islamic potters and craftsmen have displayed a skill and ingenuity that verge on the miraculous. From Morocco in the west to India in the east, their work adorns mosques and minarets, palaces and mausoleums, revealing an extraordinary mastery of form, function, and design. The architecture of the Islamic world represents an incontestable high point in the art of ceramic decoration, and employs an inexhaustible source of decorative from floral to figurative, from geometric to allegoric, all in sumptuous, vibrant color. The art form continues to amaze and inspire today.

This volume presents a broad panorama of Islamic architectural decoration in all it diversity, drawn from a vast area including Spain, North Africa, Turkey, Iran, and the Indian subcontinent. Sumptuous illustrations-- accompanied by a text that places each monument in its historical, architectural, and technological context-- conjure up a dazzling, magical world of fabulously decorated buildings, revealing the secrets of the techniques that made them possible.

288 pages, Hardcover

First published October 11, 2002

Reviews

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars for the gorgeous overview of tiles across time and Muslim civilizations, and the extra inspiration to travel to more of these places when I can. Wasn't as interested in the text but it seemed solid if you're particularly interested in the mechanics of tile-making and/or art history.