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This seminar examines two ways in which time can play a role in the interpretation of objects, buildings, and paintings of the early Islamic period. 

The first of these embraces the fact that art and architecture are products of distinct phases of activity (conceptualisation, planning, creation, renovation, and so on) that occur over time. This period may be relatively brief, amounting to hours or days, though complex objects may be the result of years or decades of labour. Regardless of the actual elapse of time from planning to completion, the process of making usually involves adjustments – sometimes subtle and other times more radical – to the initial design. 

The second temporal factor is the relationship between a given object and the sources employed by the artisan or workshop responsible for its manufacture. Our fragmentary knowledge of the material environment of the early Islamic period means that it is often necessary to discuss potential source material in rather general terms. 

A logical approach in this respect is to give most emphasis to visual sources possessing the greatest chronological and spatial proximity to the object being studied. This assumption is, however, is challenged by the adoption of ancient themes on portable arts, coins, and architectural ornament. This problem is examined through close attention to examples where phases of activity or the interaction of objects made at different times can be clearly demonstrated. 

The talk argues that that these case studies can provide useful foundations for understanding the processes of emulation and adaption of earlier artistic traditions.

About the speaker

Professor Marcus Milwright is a British Academy Global Professor in the Department of History of Art, University of York, and Professor of Islamic Art and Archaeology at the University of Victoria.

• Convenor: Professor Anna Contadini

Image: Sayah via Unsplash