International Tiger Day is celebrated every year to raise awareness about the conservation of tigers, which have been declared an endangered species. These beautiful cats have inspired artists over the centuries #TigerDay
1/ Printing or engraving on paper, ornamental calligraphy, 19th century, India now Pakistan. The tiger embodies the holy text had-i-Ali, above its back is another inscription, and the name of the mausoleum, 'Rauza-i-Shah Hasaf Ashraf' @V_and_A#tigerday
2/ Tigers featured regularly in Mughal art. Detail of a tiger in a cave, gouache on paper, 1810. Kangra, North India @AshmoleanMuseum#tigerday
3/ Tiger above the portal of the Sher-Dor Madrasah 1619–1636, Uzbekistan, Samarkand
The Sher-Dor Madrasah was designed by the architect Abdujabor. It has images of tigers with the sun on their backs on each side of the arch #tigerday
4/ Pir Gazi and his tiger in Sundarbans, Bengal, India, around 1800 CE
Scene from the Gazi scrolls of Bengal (18th or 19th century). Depicts the legend of Pir Gazi and his tiger in the Sundarbans. His life is shown on the "Gazi Scroll" is currently in @britishmuseum#tigerday
The simple shape of the tiger & the tree trunk as well as the tiger’s charming face & upturned paws typify the style of Sheikh Taju, an artist at the Kota court known for his paintings of tigers & hunts #tigerday
6/ Tiger
Ibn Bakhtīshū
Manāfi˓-i ḥayavān (The Benefits of Animals), in Persian, for Shams al-Dīn Ibn Ẓiyā˒ al-Dīn al-Zūshkī
Persia, Maragha, Between 1297 & 1300
7/ Tipu Sultan’s Tiger Palanquin Pole Ends, Mughal India @V_and_A
Tipu Sultan (r.1782-1799) was the Muslim ruler of Mysore in South India. He famously uttered: "I would rather live a day as a tiger than a lifetime as a sheep" & adopted the royal tiger as his emblem #tigerday
8/ Tigers Head from the throne of Tipu Sultan, 1785-93
The finial, made of gold & set with rubies, diamonds & emeralds, is a rare example of fully documented 18th century South Indian goldsmiths’ work and its existence was unknown until 2009 #tigerday
9/ Tigers head ornament from Tipu Sultan's throne, 1785-93
Made from gold with rock crystal eyes & teeth and gold tongue, the mouth open as if roaring. The head rests on two large paws, on a square wooden plinth base covered in red velvet in @RCT #tigerday
10/ Calligraphy in the form of a tiger, unknown artist, late 19th century, Northern India @V_and_A
In zoomorphic Arabic calligraphy, the words are manipulated into the shape of a human figure, bird, animal or object #tigerday
11/ Majnun in the wilderness, from Shah Tahmasp's imperial copy of the Khamsah by Niz̤āmī. Mid-16th century, painted by Mīrak. Commissioned for Mughal Emperor Akbar. In it, Majnun affectionally strokes a tiger - you can almost see him purring @britishlibrary#tigerday
12/ Studies of a Tiger and Two Humans
India, Rajasthan, Kota, circa 1875 @LACMA#tigerday
13/ Tiger Approaching a Waterhole, Kotah, India, ca. 1790 #tigerday
14/ A tiger, from a copy of ‘Ajā’ib al-makhlūqāt wa-gharā’ib al-mawjūdāt (Marvels of Things Created and Miraculous Aspects of Things Existing) by al-Qazwīnī (d. 1283/682), Mughal India, possibly the Punjab, 17th century from National Library of Medicine #tigerday
15/ Painting on cloth depicting a tiger, Rajasthan, probably Udaipur, circa 1900-1920
Gouache on cloth, inscriptions in nagari script at upper right and lower centre, backed #tigerday
16/ A Tiger illustrated through Arabic calligraphy, representing power & majesty, but also control of the ego #tigerday
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Carpets & rugs are significant to Islamic art & Muslim culture. Used for prayer, ornamentation & decoration, they are often collected as family heirlooms & passed down from generation to generation.
A thread on the artistry & heritage of carpets in Muslim culture…
1/ Carpets are among the most fundamental of Islamic arts. Portable, typically made of silk & wools, carpets were traded and sold as far as Europe & China. Those from Iran were highly prized. Carpets decorated the mosques, shrines & homes
2/ Muslims regard the carpet with special esteem. In Arabia, Persia and Anatolia, the carpet was at the centre of life being used as a tent sheltering people from the sandstorms, as floor coverings, wall curtains protecting privacy & items such as blankets, bags, and saddles
Kufic script is one of the oldest forms of Arabic calligraphy, developed between the 7th & 10th centuries. Derived from the Iraqi town of Al-Kufa, it was a preferred script for writing the Qur’an & is still used by artists today.
A thread on the art & heritage of Kufic script…
1/ Kufic script is one of the most recognisable & exquisite scripts of Arabic calligraphy. It is so revered & foundational that medieval Egyptian encyclopedist Al-Qalqashandi declared “The Arabic script is the one which is now known as Kufic. From it evolved all the present pens”
2/ Kufic script was developed around the 7th century CE, where it was extensively used to copy the Qur’an by the orders of the Caliph, Uthman ibn Affan
Folio from the Tashkent Qur'an
late 8th–early 9th century
From one of the oldest Qur'an manuscripts in existence @LACMA
Dabke is an Arabic folk dance which originated in the mountains of the Levantine region; including Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan & Syria. Dabke is derived from the Levantine Arabic word dabaka دبكة meaning “stamping of the feet” or “to make a noise”
A thread on the art of Dabke...
1/ Legend says that people in the Levantine region made the roof of their houses with tree branches & mud. When the weather would change, the mud would crack. Family members & community would come & help patch it by forming a line, joining hands & stomping the mud into place
2/ Once better roof-making technology was available, the story of their work dance was passed on through generations to remind them of the importance of family, community & tradition.
Today, dabke is seen all throughout the world at weddings, family gatherings, and celebrations
The art of Henna has been practiced in South Asia, Africa & the Middle East for over 5000 years. The botanical name of the henna plant is Lawsonia inermis. A member of the Loosestrife family, henna originally comes from Egypt.
A thread on the art of henna in Muslim cultures...
1/ The English name henna comes from the Arabic term الحناء (al-ḥinnā). The name henna also refers to the dye prepared from the henna plant and the art of temporary tattooing from those dyes. Henna has been used for centuries to dye skin, hair & fingernails as well as fabrics
2/ Modern scientists discovered that henna is antibacterial, antifungal, & anti-hemorrhagic & it has historically been used for medicinal purposes. However, although the use of henna has branched out since its discovery in North Africa its most popular use is still beautification
Artists have been using paper as a form of expression for thousands of years, through paper folding and cutting techniques. Today, artists are redefining paper as an artistic medium.
Here 24 are contemporary paper artists inspired by Islamic geometry & pattern
A thread…
1/ Rania Mousa creates paper artwork by repeating patterns. Inspired by Islamic geometry, origami and parametric design, she transforms sheets of paper into neat three-dimensional framed installations. Each piece is handmade with precision, patience and care.
2/ Zubin Jhaveri is a Mumbai based paper sculptor and designer. After graduating from art college, he set out on a journey of self discovery and expression, experimenting with geometric paper sculptures
NEBULA artwork
Layered paper cut art with 25 layers of 300gsm paper.
Chess is a significant part of Muslim history. The game originated in northern India in the 6th century AD & spread to Persia. When the Arabs conquered Persia, chess was taken up by the Muslim world
For #WorldChessDay here is the history of chess & Muslim heritage
A thread...
1/ The Indian ancestor of Chess was called chaturanga, developed in the 6th century AD meaning “4 Members”, it comes from the 4 military divisions of the Indian army: infantry, cavalry, elephantry, & chariotry.
Two women play Chaturanga, c. 1805 — c. 1815 #WorldChessDay
2/ Eventually, the game spread to Persia. After the Islamic Conquest of Persia, the game spread westward & a large portion of the Arabian population began to take up chess where it became known as Shatranj