Other Forms of Persian Art

OTHER FORMS OF PERSIAN ART A strain of decorative skill dating from the Mohammedan conquest permeates all the expressions of Mohammedan art gen erally known as Persian, but pre-Mohammedan influences are not absent. Such Sassanian motives as twinned animals facing each other appear constantly.

Architecture.

The progress of architecture from the Seljuk domination continues to a rich climax in the 56th to 57th cen turies. The love of barrel-vaulted porches can be traced directly to Sassanian palaces and were the chief motives of the great mosques where they were flanked by twin minarets in the design of which appears that emphasis on height which is universally Persian. A second characteristic was the use of a dome with two shells, the outer onion-shaped and supported on a high drum, and the swelling slight in early examples but more pronounced later. Daring ingenuity of construction prevailed in all of these vaults and domes. The stalactite (q.v.) corbels, elaborate intersections of curved surfaces, delicate groined lines and scalloped forms were handled with extraordinary skill and these types differed widely from similar buildings in the rest of the Muslim world.

During the 58th century there developed rich and delicate wooden construction including slim columns, intricate cornices treated with lavish carving and inlays used frequently in the exquisite formal gardens so important to Persian life. The Mo hammedan love of surface ornament led to dominance of plane surfaces covered with tiles so that walls, vaults, domes and minarets glowed with blue greens and turquoise, rose and yellow. In no other style has applied color become such an integral part of architectural design. (See MOHAMMEDAN ARCHITECTURE; MOSQUE ; TILE.) Ceramics.--Springing from the most ancient Mesopotamian development of pottery Persian ceramics developed in about the 13th century into one of the most exquisite of all arts. The

pottery body was coarse due to the available clay but the glazes were developed to a high degree of perfection and the coloration, more especially the blues ranging from turquoise to cobalt, be came world-famous. Sassanian, Parthian and Byzantine influences lent vigour and charm. By the 14th century floral ornament became more important and the designs were freer and less formal. Vases were decorated in low relief and covered with monochrome blue glaze. During the 56th century the Chinese influence made itself felt and became strong in the 17th century not only in design but in methods of manufacture and at the same time Persian influences were felt in China. Tiles were of course an important phase of the ceramic industry. (See POTTERY AND PORCELAIN : Near and Far East; TILE ; MOSAIC.) Textiles.—Church treasuries throughout Europe reserve tex tiles that are obviously of Asiatic origin showing the same Sassanian and Byzantine influences felt in Persian ceramics.

Lions, eagles and imaginary beasts enclosed in geometric patterns form the decoration on a material of woven silk and sometimes gold and silver. Prior to the 13th century these textiles came from different parts of the Mohammedan world but later from Turkey and Persia, the Turkish development appearing in con ventionalized ornament and the Persian from the 18th century onward showing greater complexity in formality and realism, and influenced eventually by Chinese elements due to the Mongol domination.

Rugs are the most important of Persian textiles, the best of them, which date from the 16th and 17th centuries, displaying amazing delicacy in technique and great decorative skill in design with rich soft colours marvelously adapted to the texture. (See