Islamic Arts of the Book

Undergraduate / Graduate

This course is an introduction to the Islamic art of the book, with a particular focus on Arabic and Persian manuscripts spanning the 11th to 17th centuries and beyond. By paying attention to the relationships between calligraphy, illumination, and painting through the lens of manuscript materiality and bookmaking technologies we will explore key histories, artworks, and discourses surrounding Islamic manuscripts, from Qur'ans to lavishly illustrated historical, scientific, and literary texts. While attending to issues of style, image-text relationships, and the transmission of knowledge in a roughly chronological framework, the course also engages with broader questions about materiality and the socio-economic conditions of manuscripts including economies of manuscript production and circulation, and systems of patronage. The course emphasizes close looking and in-depth study of manuscripts from the ISAC, the Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections, and the Art Institute of Chicago. Sessions will also include workshops at the Seldon Institute in Hyde Park. Visits to local collections will supplement classroom discussions and assigned readings.