Deck 9: Islamic Art

Question 1

Which of the following is commonly used as a decorative element in Islamic architecture?

A) fire
B) sand
C) water
D) sky

Answer 1

C

Question 2

"Lusterware" refers to a technique used to make ceramic surfaces resemble

A) glass.
B) metal.
C) enamel.
D) porcelain.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

A key feature distinguishing the Dome of the Rock from Early Christian and Byzantine buildings is

A) the central-plan structure.
B) the decorated exterior.
C) the use of glass mosaic.
D) the use of abstract imagery.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Under the Ottoman rulers, what were used on coins, seals, buildings, and imperial edicts that supplemented Muslim law to denote the sultan's authority?

A) firmans
B) barakas
C) tiraz
D) tugras

Question 5

The huge tower from which the faithful are called to pray is called a

A) minaret.
B) mihrab.
C) qibla.
D) masjid.

Question 6

Sinan's crowning achievement as an architect was the

A) Hall of the Abencerrajes.
B) madrasa-mausoleum-mosque.
C) Mosque of Sultan Selim.
D) Court of the Lions.

Question 7

How do the mosaics in the central dome of the Great Mosque of Cordoba (Fig. 9-9) demonstrate cultural and artistic exchange in the medieval period?

A) Just as with Christian churches, they probably symbolize a celestial canopy.
B) They were installed by a Byzantine master sent by the emperor in Constantinople.
C) The imagery was appropriated from pagan and Christian sources.
D) The melon-shaped, ribbed dome was adopted from Roman temples.

Question 8

The Islamic Mosque and Cultural Center in Rome reconciles Islamic cultural identity with

A) literacy.
B) classicism.
C) Christianity.
D) modernity.

Question 9

What is a notable difference between the design of the Mosque of Sultan Selim (Fig. 9-26) and the church on which it was modeled, Hagia Sophia?

A) There are no windows at the base of the dome.
B) There is no longitudinal pull toward the apse.
C) The structure employs the horseshoe arches characteristic of Islamic buildings.
D) The ornamental use of muqarnas obscure the dome's physical structure.

Question 10

What decorative feature of the minbar (Fig. 9-10) from the Kutubiya Mosque in Marrakesh reflects its original architectural surroundings?

A) the stair risers
B) the inlaid ivory
C) the wooden panels
D) the ablaq strapwork

Question 11

Which culture invaded and caused a dramatic rift in the Central and Eastern Islamic worlds?

A) Mongols
B) Visigoths
C) Crusaders
D) Umayyads

Question 12

Because they were shared by multiple readers simultaneously, early Qur'an manuscripts

A) had only three to five lines per page.
B) were vertically oriented.
C) employed naskhi script.
D) were large and elaborately decorated.

Question 13

The Muslim place of worship is called the

A) cathedral.
B) basilica.
C) mosque.
D) temple.

Question 14

How is Islamic religious belief reflected in the art of calligraphy?

A) Reverence for the Qur'an and for writing extends the word of God.
B) The written word promotes literacy and intellectual development.
C) Calligraphy serves as a common visual language uniting the Muslim community.
D) The variety of cursive scripts reflects the diversity of Islamic culture.

Question 15

In Sultan Muhammad's The "Court of Gayumars" (Fig. 9-30), the king elevated above a mountaintop is surrounded by

A) the prophet Muhammad and his family.
B) members of his family and court.
C) the artist's self-portrait.
D) geometric designs.

Question 16

Which device is used to divide the garden in the Court of the Lions (Fig. 9-20)?

A) four-iwan mosque
B) garden carpet
C) cross-axial walkways
D) joggled voussoirs

Question 17

Figural imagery is most common in what type of Islamic art?

A) illuminated pages of the Qur'an
B) palaces and manuscripts
C) glass mosaics
D) architectural ornament

Question 18

The wall of the prayer hall that is closest to Mecca is called the

A) qibla.
B) hypostyle.
C) surah.
D) mihrab.

Question 19

Which word means "submission to God's will"?

A) Qur'an
B) Maqamat
C) Torah
D) Islam

Question 20

What language serves as a powerful unifying force within Islam?

A) English
B) Latin
C) Arabic
D) Farsi

Question 21

How does Islamic art synthesize a broad range of cultural traditions with its own stylistic concerns?

Question 22

What artistic formats did artists of the Herat School study?

Question 23

In the Lusterware Jar (Fig. 9-13), what makes the figures enigmatic?

A) their posture
B) the reflective luster
C) the surrounding inscriptions
D) their hoods

Question 24

How do Muslim manuscript pages resemble carpets, and why?

Question 25

What were tugras and what purpose did they serve?

Question 26

What kind of arch has flat sides and slopes where other arches are curved?

A) horseshoe
B) keel
C) semicircular
D) muqarnas

Question 27

Why did the use of Muslim tombs increase after the eleventh century?

Question 28

What does the Mina'i Bowl with Bahram Gur and Azada (Fig. 9-14) represent?

A) interest in ancient customs
B) establishment of new laws
C) religious devotion
D) prowess in love and hunting

Question 29

Compare and contrast the Plan of the Great Mosque, Cordoba (Fig. 9-8) and the Plan of the Sultan Hasan Madrasa-Mausoleum-Mosque Complex, Cairo (Fig. 9-15).

Question 30

How do secular objects reflect the aesthetic and religious traditions of Islamic culture?

Question 31

What is a blocky, angular formal script that may have developed first for carved or woven inscriptions?

A) Minbar
B) Tugras
C) Kufic
D) Qibla

Question 32

What are the Five Pillars of Islam?

Question 33

How does the Masjid-i Shah of Isfahan display aesthetic continuity?

Question 34

In the citadel of buildings in the Alhambra, the windows that frame specifically intentioned views are called

A) muqarnas.
B) iwans.
C) miradors.
D) masjids.

Question 35

Why is the madrasa-mausoleum-mosque in Cairo a public display of piety, personal wealth, and status?

Question 36

In the mid-twelfth century, what prompted the use of brass for inlaid work?

Question 37

What is the difference between a Shi'ite Muslim and a Sunni Muslim?

Question 38

How does Islamic architecture reflect Muslim beliefs and religious practice?

Question 39

Discuss the style, composition, and content of The Maqamat of Al-Hariri (Fig. 9-1).

Question 40

What attributes make the Alhambra so beautiful?