The Art and Architecture of Islam 1250-1800, by Sheila S. Blair and Jonathan M. Bloom (Yale University Press, no price given)
To those of us raised on the unflinching physicality of Michelangelo and Reubens, the intricate geometry of Islamic art represents something of an enigma. It visual appeal is undeniable, its aesthetic perfection unquestionable - but for art to truly move us, we need to engage with it at a deeper emotional level. In The Art and Architecture of Islam 1250-1800, which is itself a sequel to a 1987 volume, commissioned as part of the Pelican History of Art, Sheila Blair and Jonathan Bloom continue the methodology established by their predecessors: they intend simply to set out the evidence of a great artistic tradition, not to argue its case. With this in mind, no doubt, the text is deliberately low-key, explanatory rather than extravagant, constantly referring to the sumptuous colour illustrations which glow and sparkle on almost every page. But in spite of this restraint - or, perhaps, because of it - the occasional bite-sized chunk of background information leaps off the page and acquires a life of its own in the imagination of the reader. "Ali b. Ilyas Ali, better known as Naqqash Ali (Ali the Designer), had been carted off to Samarkand and must have been inspired by Timurid buildings there, which were extensively decorated with tile . . ." By the time you reach the late 18th century, therefore, the silent procession of textiles, ceramics and illustrated books have acquired a lively soundtrack: clashing swords, thumping hooves and the sinuous court music of the Ottoman sultans. Exotic? Yes, but as the list of illustrations makes abundantly clear, a goodly amount of this treasure trove can be seen at the Chester Beatty Library in Dublin. And for the quality of the illustration alone, this is itself a book to treasure.
