INTRODUCTION Wood is the most plentiful material in nature and the first thing that drew man's attention. It is a comparatively scarce material in many parts of the Islamic world and being place a higher status and levels of workmanship. Woodcarving is one of the popular methods of carvings used in Islamic art and buildings/architecture especially mosque. The significant effect of woodcarving in the mosque enhances beauty and introduces symbolism to the vernacular architecture. Wood carving is the technique of creating elaborate designs in wood by hand, with the help of carving tools. It may vary from floral, traditional motifs to geometrical or abstract patterns. It is always necessary to first identify the texture of wood before the process of wood carving is initiated. The appearance always in abstraction, symbolizing the plant feature or geometry into three types of architectural components, namely, structural, elemental and ornament. Woodcarving is the process and product of shaping wood into decorative and sculptural forms.. Wood is a widely prevalent and self-restoring source of supply, available in sizes suitable for small objects as well as buildings. Strong enough to support great weight and to span considerable areas, it is not too heavy to be neither handled by an economical amount of manpower nor too resistant to be worked readily and accurately with simple hand tools. Wood has a pleasing range of natural color, tonal depth and receptivity to a number of sensuously satisfactory surfacing treatments.
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HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Islamic architecture encompasses a wide range of both secular and religious styles from the foundation of Islam to the present day, influencing the design and construction of buildings and structures in Islamic culture. The principal Islamic architectural styles are the mosque, the tomb, palace, fort and others. Islamic art covers several time periods and includes many influences. Islamic woodcarving, a popular art form, dates back hundreds of years and exhibits a variety of woodworking techniques. Woodcarving became a form of architectural ornament in traditional Islamic culture between the years 836 and 892 in the city of Samarra in Iraq. Islamic woodcarving, with its focus on intricate geometric and organic plant motifs, can also be found during the medieval period which spanned from the 11th to the 15th century. The styles originating in Samarra were adopted throughout the Islamic world. Traditional Islamic woodcarving is displayed in many art museums and is studied by art historians throughout the world. Architectural carvings were one of the most important forms of art in the 9th century. The wood carvings’ works can be found at Palaces, patronage houses, Mosques and waqf and ancient buildings. In carving, an artist uses a pointed chisel to remove portions of the wood. This was the preferred woodworking method of early Islamic artists of the Middle East between 1060 and 1307 A.D.
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The transition of mind thought has led to architectural transformation and evolution and the result reflects to the people’s way of life. They become more efficient in making and produce the quality wood carvings, and also more design that allowed and compatible in Islam. Carved components architecture were more complex in pattern back then in early era of establishment of Islamic woodcarving architecture/building which most them were done for palaces. It is said that carvings were associated to status of people in the community, compare to nowhere less complex that motifs and patterns become simpler with less curves
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DEVELOPMENTS/TYPES
(Images source: Google)
Islamic woodcarving is known for its intricate patterns. The patterns include floral, geometrical and calligraphical motifs that allowed in Islamic art, which made Islam more special and different than other religions. Same goes to principle of Islamic art, the prohibition of figuration and representation of living creatures in arts, which means no aniconism. For the Muslim, in recognising the reality of the fundamental formula of Islam: " There is no divinity other than God ". He sees in figurative art, a fundamental error or illusion in projecting the nature of the absolute into the relative, by attributing to the relative an autonomy that does not belong to it. Islamic artists developed complex decorative designs, as well as intricate patterns of such as the arabesque, with which to adorn palaces and mosques and other Islamic buildings.
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Floral Motifs Floral is the most dominant motifs and it remains until now. The study found that floral motifs were early started after the arrival of Islam which was inspired by craftsmen, designers and also architects. They also create an authentic, attractive and beautiful besides an artistic and sensibility master piece of woodcarving.
The selected flowers were chosen by craftsmen or designers before proceed on the buildings based on the physical appearance, fragrance, shape, colour and size which exist at the surrounding but the motifs on woodcarving are not exactly similar detailed as flower, it is came from interpretation of flower, leaves and others. Some of the floral motifs on Islamic architecture buildings Example of a column in a mid-19thcentury mosque "overgrown" with floral carving.
Wood carving of floral motifs on the pillar of the Historical Mosque in Kalam, Swat
Image sources: Google
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Calligraphy Motifs Calligraphy is the most important and most common kind of Islamic art. It has always been considered the best form of art because the Qur'an, the Muslim holy book, is written in Arabic. The use of beautiful writing (calligraphy) is found in all arts including wood carving. Calligraphy with the flora and geometric motifs and also from verses of Al Quran usually has a meaning for public. These designs were often preserved so that they could be copied by later generations. Some of the calligraphy motifs on Islamic architecture buildings
Example of a calligraphy motif detail from wooden panel in museum in Spain with Arabic inscription. Literally, it has meanings for public.
Close-up of wooden dome of Sultan Hassan mosque with the use of calligraphy motif in woodcarving
Image sources: Google
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Geometry Motifs In Islamic world the skills of carpentry were traditionally associated with geometry. Geometric motifs were popular with Islamic artists and designers in all parts of the world, for decorating almost every surface, and parts of the Islamic buildings. Intricate geometric design is a trademark of Islamic art. Some of the geometry motifs on Islamic architecture buildings
Window from the Umayyad Mosque, Damascus
A decorative wall panel of geometrical patterns on the exterior of Bahia Palace in Marrakech
Image sources: Google
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Arabesque Patterns
Arabesques patterns of Islamic art are often said to arise from the Islamic view of the world. To Muslims, these forms constitute an infinite pattern that extends beyond the visible material world. Many in the Islamic world, symbolize the infinite, and therefore uncentralized, nature of the creation of the one God (Allah). Some of the arabesque patterns on Islamic architecture buildings
Islamic relief panel from Medina Azahara, Cordoba, Spain.
Palace door within The Alhambra, Spain.
Image sources: Google
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Woodcarving architecture such as houses or mosques would be adorned with so many carved components. The components are categorized into several types according to structure, element and decoration. They can be seen on the facade of the buildings such as fascia boards, door leaves and ventilation panels over doors or windows, and perforated wall panels. The ventilation panels and perforated wall panels allow air breeze to circulate into and out from the building and also allow sunlight to pass through its perforation and consequently lit the interior. Intricate shadows are casted on the house floor adding beauty to the in te rior . Carv ed co mp onen ts of th e buildings performed both functional and aesthetic purposes. By looking at the development of mosques other buildings that using Islamic designs, we can see the development of Islamic culture itself, especially the background history and different timeline.
Some parts of the Islamic buildings
Perforated wall pane
Fascia boards
Image sources: Google
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For mosque, there are some carvings in the mosques classified as elemental components. These components include ventilation panels of door or window, door or window leaf, walls, railings and mimbar. Ventilation panels are the conspicuous carving components that characterize the architecture of this region. They are part of the fenestration allowing air and light into the building. The perforated timber boards are placed on top of doors, windows or walls allowing circulation of air and light into the building.
Some parts in the mosque building that using woodcarvings .
Figure 2- Carved door of Mosque of Uqba, Tunisia.
Figure 1 Carved window of Ihsaniah Iskandariah Mosque,Kuala Kangsar, Perak.
10 Mimbar
Other parts in some Islamic building that using woodcarvings .
Alhambra’s paneled wall Granada, Spain Woodcarving patterns/motifs: Geometry (Photo: courtesy of American Institute for Advanced Studies in Cultural History)
‘Surah An-Nas’ woodcarving in International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM)’s library This artwork is using caligraphical woodcarving. (Photo: Flickr)
Wooden dome symbolizing the universe in The Alcázar of Seville Spanish Islamic royal palace in Seville, Spain. This dome is using geometrical motif of woodcarving. (Photo: Google)
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Carvings on the door of a mosque in Doha, Qatar. (Photo: colourbox.com
Door of a mosque in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (Photo: Scolourbox.com
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MATERIAL AND TECHNIQUES Materials
Some of types of wood used include nut, sycamore, oak, ivory, mahogany, maple, pine, poplar, birch, cedar, basswood etc. These woods are suitable for carving some parts in the Islamic building and easy to use. For example cedar, basswood, birch and oak woods are great in carving. Some images of the common soft woods.
Poplar – Takes paint better than stain
Oakwood – commonly used
Birchwood – easy to work with
Pine – easy to shape
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Techniques Pierced carving - Carving punch comes from a piece of wood or some boards drilled with drill saws (saws drill) so translucent flower shapes or patterns
Chip Carving - Carving in which just removes small chips of the material from a flat surface wood.
Relief carving - Sculptural form in which figures are carved in a flat panel of wood. A type of woodcarving which is old as antiquity, yet it is still been using until today.
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CONCLUSION Islamic patterns are present everywhere in the world where the Islamic faith was adopted in significant numbers. Woodcarving in Islamic architecture/buildings is an expression which portrays the beauty of God’s creations and shows them into various forms. The manifestation is a skill developed through the process of observation of the living environment. The form of the carved components of the mosque depicts the motifs of flora, calligraphy, and geometry. Flora motif controls the carving on structural, elemental and decorative components that influence of Islamic faith of craftsmen toward their work of art. The carving is part of the mosque’s architecture that without it the building feels incomplete to be categorized as vernacular architecture of the region. In conclusion, there is a clear evolution of motif in the Islamic carving dated from 1850s until now.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY Nomad Inception
http://www.nomadinception.com/op-islamic-geometric-design-in-Arabicarchitecture.aspx
http://www.oman-tours.com/about-oman/culture-overview-crafts-architecture-musicarts/handicraft-overview-oman/carving-ornaments-crafts/
Jonathan M.Bloom (January 2, 2012), The Masterpiece Minbar.
[email protected]
http://islamic-arts.org/2011/gates-of-paradise-divrigi-ulucami-and-sifahane-divrigi-greatmosque-and-hospital/
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/geom/hd_geom.htm
Kyle Jackson & Frances Wright
http://djcadteam6.wordpress.com/ (ISLAMIC ART AND ARCHITECTURE – PATTERN, LIGHT AND STRUCTURE
http://worldarchitecture.org/7art/pmng/islamic-architecture-influence-on-iranianarchitecture.html Benjamin Shakir Haye (http://creativecarving.wordpress.com)
http://journal.utarts.com/articles.php?id=14&type=paper (2009) A. Schimmel, Calligraphy and Islamic Culture (1984); R. Ettinghauser and O. Grabar, the Art and Architecture of Islam: 650 –1250 (1987); O. Grabar, the Formation of Islamic Art (rev. and enl. ed. 1987); B. Brend, Islamic Art ( 1991); S. S. Blair and J. M. Bloom, The Art and Architecture of Islam, 1250 –1800 (1995).
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