| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| calligraphy | The art of beautiful handwriting and letter forms, particularly prominent in Islamic art for transmitting sacred texts. |
| casting | A metalworking process in which molten metal is poured into a mold to create a form. |
| chasing | A metalworking technique involving the use of tools to create decorative patterns or details on a metal surface. |
| cobalt-on-white slip painting | A ceramic decoration technique featuring cobalt pigment painted on white slip (liquid clay), a technical advancement developed in West Asia. |
| embossing | A metalworking technique that creates a raised design or pattern on a metal surface. |
| geometric forms | Decorative elements based on mathematical shapes such as circles, squares, triangles, and polygons used in West and Central Asian art. |
| gilding | The process of applying a thin layer of gold or gold-colored material to the surface of metal or other objects. |
| inlaying | A metalworking process in which one metal or material is set into the surface of another to create decorative effects. |
| Iznik tile work | Ottoman ceramic tile production known for its distinctive decorative designs and export ceramics created during the Ottoman dynasty. |
| lusterware | A ceramic technique developed in West Asia that creates a metallic sheen or luster on pottery surfaces through special firing processes. |
| manuscript painting | The art of creating painted illustrations and decorations within written manuscripts, a major painting form in West and Central Asia. |
| mosaic-tile architecture | An architectural decoration method using small ceramic tiles arranged to create patterns and designs, particularly prominent in Persian and Islamic architecture. |
| organic forms | Decorative elements based on natural shapes found in nature, used alongside geometric patterns in West and Central Asian art. |
| patterned landscapes | Landscape compositions that emphasize decorative patterns and designs rather than naturalistic spatial depth. |
| silk velvets | Luxurious textile fabrics made from silk with a soft, dense pile surface, produced in West and Central Asia. |
| silk-tapestry weaving | A textile technique using silk threads to create tapestry fabrics, a form developed in West and Central Asia. |
| thangka | A large painting on cloth depicting Buddhist deities and mandalas, a painting form from the Himalayan regions of Central Asia. |
| tipped perspectives | A compositional technique in which figures and objects are depicted at tilted or elevated angles rather than from a single vanishing point. |
| two-dimensional design | An artistic approach emphasizing flat surfaces and patterns rather than three-dimensional depth, characteristic of West Asian art styles. |
| vegetal designs | Decorative patterns featuring plant and floral motifs, a characteristic element of West and Central Asian artistic styles. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| audience | The intended viewers or recipients of a work of art, whose identity and expectations influence artistic choices and meaning. |
| belief systems | Organized sets of religious, spiritual, or philosophical ideas that guide how a culture understands the world and conducts itself. |
| Buddhism | A major religious tradition that developed in South Asia and spread throughout East and Southeast Asia, generating distinctive religious art forms. |
| Buddhist cave architecture | Religious structures carved into rock formations in Central Asia, incorporating relief carving, sculpture, and wall painting. |
| calligraphy | The art of beautiful handwriting and letter forms, particularly prominent in Islamic art for transmitting sacred texts. |
| cultural practices | The customs, rituals, and traditional activities of a society that are reflected in and inform artistic and architectural creation. |
| Dome of the Rock | An Islamic commemorative monument and shrine built on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. |
| Islam | A world religion that originated in the 7th century CE in West Asia, whose religious traditions and practices significantly influenced art and art-making across West and Central Asia. |
| Islamic art | Diverse art forms produced in regions with dominant Islamic culture, which may be religious or secular in nature and share similarities in content and visual characteristics. |
| Jowo Rinpoche | A sacred Buddha sculpture considered the most sacred image in Tibet, demonstrating the importance of pilgrimage in Buddhist art and religious practice. |
| Kaaba | A sacred cubic structure located in Mecca that is the holiest site in Islam and a focal point for Muslim prayer. |
| mihrab | A niche or empty alcove in the Qibla wall of a mosque that serves as a focal point for prayer. |
| minaret | A tower attached to a mosque from which the call to prayer is announced. |
| minbar | A pulpit in a mosque from which the imam leads prayer and delivers sermons. |
| monastic architecture | Religious buildings designed to house communities of monks or nuns, particularly in Tibetan Buddhist traditions. |
| mosque | An Islamic place of worship featuring a Qibla wall facing Mecca and a mihrab niche for prayer, typically decorated with calligraphy and vegetal forms rather than figural imagery. |
| nonfigural imagery | Visual decoration that does not depict human or animal figures, including calligraphy, geometric patterns, and vegetal forms. |
| patron | A person or institution that commissions, funds, or supports the creation of an artwork, thereby influencing its purpose and content. |
| physical setting | The geographic location, environment, and landscape that influences the creation and function of art. |
| pilgrimage | An important religious practice in Islam and Buddhism involving a sacred journey to holy sites, which served as a key focus for monuments and artworks in West and Central Asia. |
| Qibla wall | The wall in a mosque that faces the direction of Mecca and the Kaaba, oriented to guide prayer. |
| relief carving | A sculptural technique where figures or designs are carved to project from a flat background surface. |
| stupa | A Buddhist architectural monument, typically dome-shaped, built to house relics or commemorate Buddhist teachings. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Buddhism | A major religious tradition that developed in South Asia and spread throughout East and Southeast Asia, generating distinctive religious art forms. |
| Buddhist figural imagery | Depictions of Buddha, attendants, teachers, practitioners, and deities used as a primary form of visual communication in Buddhist communities. |
| Buddhist sculpture | Sculptural art form associated with Buddhism that was transmitted and influenced artistic traditions in West and Central Asia. |
| calligraphy | The art of beautiful handwriting and letter forms, particularly prominent in Islamic art for transmitting sacred texts. |
| ceramic-tile decoration | An art form involving decorated ceramic tiles that was transmitted across West and Central Asian cultures. |
| chinoiserie | A European-influenced artistic style incorporating Chinese aesthetic elements, particularly evident in Persian art. |
| cultural interchanges | The exchange and transmission of artistic, religious, and cultural ideas between different societies and regions. |
| decorative arts | Objects and works created primarily for aesthetic embellishment and functional use, often containing figural imagery in Islamic secular contexts. |
| figural art | Art that depicts recognizable human or animal forms, particularly used in Mesoamerican sculpture and two-dimensional works. |
| geometric forms | Decorative elements based on mathematical shapes such as circles, squares, triangles, and polygons used in West and Central Asian art. |
| Hellenistic architecture | Architectural style from the Greek world that was transmitted and influenced art forms in West and Central Asia. |
| iconic culture | A cultural tradition in which invoked figural imagery holds religious and spiritual significance and is used in veneration and practice. |
| idealized figural art | Artistic tradition characterized by idealized human representations, particularly associated with Indian-inspired styles in Central Asia. |
| illumination | Decorative embellishment of manuscripts using gold, silver, and colored pigments to enhance text and imagery. |
| Islam | A world religion that originated in the 7th century CE in West Asia, whose religious traditions and practices significantly influenced art and art-making across West and Central Asia. |
| Islamic metalworks | Metal art objects created in Islamic West and Central Asia, often featuring Christian subject matter, that were traded in Mediterranean regions. |
| Iznik wares | Ceramic pottery created in Turkey that was an important trade item in international commerce between Europe and Asia. |
| Khamsa of Nizami | A collection of Persian poems by Nizami that may contain religious content illustrated in secular literary contexts. |
| mandala | A circular or geometric design in Buddhist art that represents the universe and is used in spiritual practice and meditation. |
| manuscript painting | The art of creating painted illustrations and decorations within written manuscripts, a major painting form in West and Central Asia. |
| mosque architecture | The design and structure of Islamic places of worship, typically decorated with nonfigural imagery. |
| Mughal arts | Artistic traditions of India that were influenced by Persianate arts from the Timurid and Safavid dynasties. |
| nonfigural imagery | Visual decoration that does not depict human or animal figures, including calligraphy, geometric patterns, and vegetal forms. |
| Ottoman arts | Artistic traditions of Turkey that were influenced by Persianate arts from the Timurid and Safavid dynasties. |
| Persianate arts | Artistic traditions influenced by Persian culture, particularly from the Timurid and Safavid dynasties, that had significant international influence. |
| Qur'an | The holy Islamic sacred text, which is not illustrated with figural imagery in religious contexts. |
| sacred and secular contexts | The distinction between religious/spiritual purposes and non-religious/worldly purposes in the creation and use of artworks. |
| Safavid dynasty | A Persian dynasty of Iran whose artistic traditions influenced Ottoman and Mughal arts and had great international impact. |
| Shahnama | An ancient Persian epic poem depicting kings and heroes, whose narratives are illustrated in Islamic secular manuscript art. |
| Silk Route | An ancient network of trade routes connecting the Greco-Roman world with China and India, facilitating cultural and artistic exchange across West, Central, and East Asia. |
| textiles | Woven or fabric art forms that were the most important art medium in West and Central Asia and dominated international trade between Europe and Asia. |
| theory and interpretation | Different frameworks and perspectives used to understand and explain the meaning, context, and significance of works of art that may change over time. |
| Timurid dynasty | A Persian dynasty of Iran whose artistic traditions influenced Ottoman and Mughal arts and had great international impact. |
| vegetal forms | Decorative patterns based on plant and floral motifs, used in Islamic art and architecture. |
| visual analysis | The systematic examination and interpretation of a work of art's formal elements, such as color, composition, form, and technique, to understand its meaning and significance. |