The following research is about furniture created and designed in different Islamic Design periods, starting from the 9th century till modern period of 15th century. It shows the type and functions for which people used to create those furniture pieces, familiarize with some extraordinary ones and talk about different techniques of furniture decorations.
2. Contents
◦ Different types of furnitures designed.
◦ Furniture classification for different period.
◦ Elements to distinguish between furnitures.
◦ Concept behind their design and arts.
◦ Technologies used to make furnitures.
◦ Materials used.
8. Abbasid Dynasty
• The Abbasid dynasty (750 AD – 1258[56]) witnessed the
movement of the capital from Damascus to Baghdad, and
then from Baghdad to Samarra.
• Calligraphy began to be used in surface decoration on
pottery during this period.
Storage chest, wood, carved and inlaid with ebony
and bone. Modern lid and inlays partly modern
Iraq, Mosul; c. 1240
Late Abbasid Period
H: 81.2; W: 80; D: 50 cm
Frit wares
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_art#Beginnings https://www.davidmus.dk/en/collections/islamic/dynasties/late-abbasids
11. https://ismailimail.wordpress.com/2015/10/03/few-fatimid-luxury-art-items-from-
the-north-african-phase-have-survived/
• A North African Fatimid luxury artwork to have
survived is an ivory box made for Imam al-Mu’izz
at Mansuriyya between 953 and 973, currently in
the Archaeological Museum, Madrid.
• The box is now held together with iron hinges
and clamps
Ivory box made for Imam al-Mu’izz at Mansuriyya
(Image: Arts of the City Victorious)
Stunning & elaborate inlaid console table with mother of pearl
inlay. Hand-carved with Fatimid medieval period flowing designs
on solid walnut.
Fatimid carvings.
Hand-inlaid with Mother of pearl.
18" D X 45" W X 37" H.
https://www.akbik.com/walnut-console-table-with-a-mirror-inlaid-with-mother-of-pearl
19. A Nasrid or Post-Nasrid ivory-inlaid walnut chair
Andalusia, 15th century
height 35 in.
89 cm
http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2012/fine-european-
furniture-n08879/lot.252.html
http://www.aljantiques.com/archives/a-rare-nasrid-or-nasrid-revival-small-wooden-cabinet-inlaid-with-marquetry-wood-
work-ivory-ebony-and-white-metal-andalusia-or-spain-probably-15th-19th-century.html
21. NASRID MARQUETRY WOOD BOX
Granada, Spain, 15th Century
21.6 x 16.4 x 9.5 cm
http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/24197/lot/117/?category=list&length=100&page=2
22. Iran and Central Asia
• In Iran and the north of India, the Tahirids, Samanids, Ghaznavids, and Ghurids
struggled for power in the 10th century, and art was a vital element of this
competition.
• The Seljuqs, nomads of Turkic origin from present-day Mongolia, appeared on the
stage of Islamic history toward the end of the 10th century. They seized Baghdad in
1048, before dying out in 1194 in Iran.
• There are three Iranian period during the 13th century, Ilkhanids, The Golden
Horde and the Timurids.
24. This casket features an silver inlaid design of
horsemen (possibly falconers) within roundels.
http://art.thewalters.org/detail/35357/casket/
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/140001736?rpp=20&pg=1&ft=*&when=A.D.+1000-
1400&where=Iran&what=Metal&img=2
26. Spain- Andalusian
DIMENSIONS
H 14.77 in. x W 19.3 in. x D 6.89 in.
H 37.5 cm x W 49 cm x D 17.5 cm
DATE OF MANUFACTURE
1920
https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/storage-case-pieces/cabinets/arab-andalusian-cabinet-
spain-circa-1920-1930/id-f_8996731/
27. Nasrid Revival engraved steel box, Spain, 19th century
http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2014/arts-islamic-world-l14220/lot.192.html
Nasrid revival parquetry wood cabinet stand, Spain, 19th
century
29. Mughal Empire
◦ Their courts had western and Islamic
furniture
◦ Decorative repertoire to embellish their
products, in the same fashion as did their
colleagues working in other artistic
industries.
◦ Various styles of thrones and footstools,
low tables, and boxes and caskets of
several types were employed.
30. Storage chest, wood, inlaid with mother-of-pearl in
black lacquer
India, Gujarat; beginning of 17th century
H: 54.2; W: 109.5; D: 53 cm
The lid is decorated with characteristic spiral ornamentation that helps us
date it. An identical mother-of-pearl decoration is namely found on a
canopy made in 1608-1609 for the grave of the Sufi sheikh Nizam al-Din
Awliya, whose monument is in Delhi.
Cabinets and storage of wood, ivory, and iron
Mughal Empire
31. ◦ The furniture of Rajasthan is in harmony with its
palaces and havelis, displaying similar intricate
design and carving.
32. ◦ The ottoman traces its roots to
furnishing practices in the Ottoman
Empire, where it was the central piece of
residential seating, generally designed
as a low wooden platform intended to
be piled with cushions.
◦ Known as tuffets, hassocks, or poufs.
◦ Families in Turkey covered them with
cushions for group seating like modern
sofas without arms and backs. Beyond
providing functional seating, they were
the central design element within the
family common area or living room.
◦ When the idea of ottomans arrived in
Europe, artisans created an imitation
that wrapped around three walls. Over
time, the concept was scaled down to a
smaller version that could fit into one
corner instead of three.
◦ "Ottoman" may also denote an
upholstered seat without a back or arms,
but one that usually serves as storage,
with the seat hinged to form a lid.
Ottoman Empire
34. Woodwork, Ivory &
Nacre.
• The art of woodworking which is
observed on furniture such as lecterns,
Koran stands, turban stands, trousseau
chests and tables, and as accessories.
• Many highly sophisticated techniques
were developed to create intricate
decoration
• In the finer examples ebony and other
precious woods are used as inlays,
together with ivory and mother-of-pearl
(Nacre).
• The carving in these objects often has a
concentrated, almost lapidary detail.
• Finest work is generally found on pulpits
(minbar).
36. Kundekari
◦ Woodworking technique.
◦ Pieces of shaped wood are interlocked
through rabbeting and mortising, without the
use of any nails or glue.
◦ Carefully treated so that it would not dry out
and shrink later on.
◦ Kundekari system where pieces of geometric
blocks and keel bars are interlocked through
tenon-mortising and tongue-groove without
the use of any nails or glue, makes the whole
structure very durable.
37. Sunk Relief
◦ Popular in doors, shutters, reading desks
and sarcophagi.
◦ The motifs were carved into the plane of the
surface.
◦ Example: The three layers of superb carving
combining vegetal motifs and calligraphic
inscriptions cover the surface of this Qur’an
stand.
14th Century Quran Stand. Image Source: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
38. Lacquering
◦ The technique of lacquering is conspicuous in
Ottoman wood workmanship of the 17th and 18th
centuries.
◦ The application of this technique, which, besides
wood, was also employed on cardboard and leather,
is difficult and painstaking work.
◦ When all the irregularities have been smoothed out
of the material to be used, a layer of varnish is first
applied to prevent the surface from absorbing the
paints.
◦ After drying, the decoration is applied in gold leaf or
paint of various colors. When the paints have dried,
the surface is again varnished; this procedure is
repeated several times.