Of all the great cultures of the near east, the Persian or Iranian is one of the oldest and richest. By definition that means much of its art and literature is pre-Islamic, but there is also much that has emerged in the centuries that is unmistakably Islamic in style, sentiment and expression.
According to the Encyclopaedia Iranica, pre-Islamic elements from Iran that have influenced Islamic art actually extend beyond its borders, a prime example being the Sasanian crowns that appear in the mosaic on the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. Similarly, the Sasanian Cahar, a style of architecture, has been found in many mosques in what is now Iraq as well as in Iran.
However, while these and other elements can be seen in Persian Islamic art, many others have clearly emerged after Islam was well established in Persia. Those looking for Islamic art gifts may find this style offers a compelling appeal.
A key feature of Persian Islamic art is the use of geometric styles. This was highlighted in 2007 by Richard Henry, a British artist and lecturer fascinated by this form of expression.
Having made his first visit to Iran to discover more, he delivered a lecture on the topic in which he explained how he had gone to look deeper into his own fascination with the “numinous quality of Islamic patterns and the sense of sublime tranquility that one experiences in Islamic buildings.”
In his subsequent lecture back in London, he remarked: “I have often wondered whether there is a connection between the presence of geometry and the nurturing of a contemplative state,” adding that this could also be seen in architecture in places such as the Shah Mosque in Isfahan.
This use of geometry and its connection with moods of contemplation and spirituality provides the Persian expression of Islamic art with a value that extends way beyond mere aesthetics.