Blair, Sheila

Overview

Works:	97 works in 387 publications in 5 languages and 11,110 library holdings
Genres:	History Conference papers and proceedings Exhibition catalogs Encyclopedias Reference works Manuscripts Illustrated works Catalogs
Roles:	Author, Editor, Contributor, Other, Redactor, Compiler

Publication Timeline

Most widely held works by Sheila Blair

Islamic arts by Jonathan Bloom( Book )

26 editions published between 1997 and 2012 in English and Undetermined and held by 1,930 WorldCat member libraries worldwide

In this comprehensive survey, the authors highlight those characteristics that connect the various arts of all the Islamic lands, without minimizing the differences. Dividing the time into three periods: 600-900, 900-1500 and 1500-1800, they set the artistic development in each era within its historical context and use art as a window into Islamic culture. Written in an accessible style, and illustrated throughout with photographs, maps and plans, the book captures the essence of Islamic culture as expressed in its buildings, books and applied arts, and provides an introduction to the subject for both the student and the general reader

The art and architecture of Islam 1250-1800 by Sheila Blair( Book )

32 editions published between 1994 and 2002 in English and Undetermined and held by 1,794 WorldCat member libraries worldwide

They discuss, for example, how the universal caliphs of the first six centuries gave way to regional rulers and how, in this new world order, Iranian forms, techniques, and motifs played a dominant role in the artistic life of most of the Muslim world; the one exception was the Maghrib, an area protected from the full brunt of the Mongol invasions, where traditional models continued to inspire artists and patrons. By the sixteenth century, say the authors, the eastern Mediterranean under the Ottomans and the area of northern India under the Mughals had become more powerful, and the Iranian models of early Ottoman and Mughal art gradually gave way to distinct regional and imperial styles

Islam : a thousand years of faith and power by Jonathan Bloom( Book )

18 editions published between 2000 and 2004 in English and held by 1,294 WorldCat member libraries worldwide

Historians Jonathan Bloom and Sheila Blair provide a comprehensive and accessible overview of the origin of this extraordinary religion, culture, and belief system that often has been misunderstood in the West. In its first thousand years, while Europe suffered through the Dark Ages, Islamic civilization flourished in a string of glittering cities such as Cordoba, Fez, Cairo, Istanbul, Baghdad, and Samarqand. Muslims expanded the boundaries of human knowledge in literature, art, science, and medicine. Bloom and Blair tell the remarkable story of Islam's rise to world prominence, from its revelation to Muhammed and its extraordinary spread within a century of the Prophet's death, through its golden age of empire and the forging of a rich new culture, to the changes it experienced after the Mongol invasions of the thirteenth century

The Grove encyclopedia of Islamic art and architecture( Book )

13 editions published in 2009 in English and held by 823 WorldCat member libraries worldwide

"Deals with all aspects of Islamic art and architecture ranging from the Middle East to Africa to Central, South, and East Asia and includes entries on artists, rulers, writers, ceramics, sculpture, metalwork, painting, calligraphy, textiles, and more"--Provided by publisher

Islamic calligraphy by Sheila Blair( Book )

25 editions published between 2006 and 2008 in English and held by 588 WorldCat member libraries worldwide

"This stunning book is an important contribution to a key area of non-western art, being the first reference work on the art of beautiful writing in Arabic script. The extensive use of writing is a hallmark of Islamic civilization. Calligraphy, the art of beautiful writing, became one of the main methods of artistic expression from the seventh century to the present in almost all regions from the far Maghrib, or Islamic West, to India and beyond. Arabic script was adopted for other languages from Persian and Turkish to Kanembu and Malay. Sheila S. Blair's groundbreaking book explains this art form to modern readers and shows them how to identify, understand and appreciate its varied styles and modes. The book is designed to offer a standardized terminology for identifying and describing various styles of Islamic calligraphy and to help Westerners appreciate why calligraphy has long been so important in Islamic civilization. The argument is enhanced by the inclusion of more than 150 colour illustrations, as well as over 100 black-and-white details that highlight the salient features of the individual scripts and hands. Examples are chosen from dated or datable examples with secure provenance, for the problem of forgeries and copies (both medieval and modern) is rampant. The illustrations are accompanied by detailed analyses telling the reader what to look for in determining both style and quality of script"--Jacket

Images of paradise in Islamic art by Sheila Blair( Book )

13 editions published in 1991 in English and held by 464 WorldCat member libraries worldwide

Gifts of the Sultan : the arts of giving at the Islamic courts by Linda Komaroff( Book )

8 editions published in 2011 in English and held by 419 WorldCat member libraries worldwide

Rivers of paradise : water in Islamic art and culture by Biennial Hamad Bin Khalifa Symposium on Islamic Art and Culture( Book )

10 editions published in 2009 in English and held by 355 WorldCat member libraries worldwide

For millennia the collection, distribution, and symbolism of water have played pivotal roles in the lands where Islam has flourished. This book is the first to address this important subject. A diverse spectrum of scholars covers a wide range of topics: from the revelation of Islam in the 7th century to todayʹs conservation and development issues, from watering oases in the Moroccan desert to the flooded plains of Bengal. Copiously illustrated with beautiful color photographs and newly drawn plans and maps, this book will provoke readers to appreciate and acknowledge the essential, if often invisible and transitory, roles that water played in the arts of the Islamic lands and beyond

Epic images and contemporary history : the illustrations of the great Mongol Shahnama by Oleg Grabar( Book )

10 editions published in 1980 in English and held by 342 WorldCat member libraries worldwide

Islamic inscriptions by Sheila Blair( Book )

18 editions published between 1997 and 1998 in English and held by 339 WorldCat member libraries worldwide

The first object created by God, according to early Muslim commentators, was the pen, which he used to chronicle events to come. The word, in its various manifestations, is central to the Islamic faith. Surely a reflection of this centrality, profuse inscriptions mark countless Islamic objects, from the humblest oil lamps and unglazed ceramics to the finest and most expensive rock crystals and jades. The inscriptions serve numerous functions: decorating, proclaiming ownership and patronage, proffering good wishes and proverbs, and spreading religious texts throughout the world. Aside from their aesthetic worth, these inscriptions provide a fascinating window onto a distant culture

God is beautiful and loves beauty : the object in Islamic art and culture by Biennial Hamad bin Khalifa Symposium on Islamic Art( Book )

6 editions published in 2013 in English and held by 306 WorldCat member libraries worldwide

The Islamic world, spanning centuries and far-flung regions, is renowned for its diverse cultural and artistic traditions. This sumptuous book delves into that vast creative output, examining a dozen exquisite objects in the Museum of Islamic Art, in Doha, Qatar, designed by the Chinese-American architect I.M. Pei and opened in 2008. Twelve prominent scholars from across the globe select works representing various centers of Islamic life, from early Spain to 17th-century India, as well as a range of media including textiles, ceramics, metalwork, and miniature paintings. Authoritative texts put the objects into context, exploring the relationships to those people who produced and lived among them. In addition, architectural critic Paul Goldberger discusses the museum, assessing its place in Peiʹs career and in the broader scope of Islamic architecture, while Oliver Watson, the museumʹs former director, sheds light on the installation of works throughout the building. -- Publisher description

And diverse are their hues : color in Islamic art and culture by Biennial Hamad Bin Khalifa Symposium on Islamic Art and Culture( Book )

8 editions published in 2011 in English and Multiple languages and held by 303 WorldCat member libraries worldwide

The Koran uses the phrase "and diverse are their hues" to describe the glorious chromatic variety of God's creation. Color has always been an important signifier in Islamic art, and its uses have encompassed the practical as well as the mystical and poetic. This comprehensive volume is the first to analyze the use of color in Islamic art and architecture from a range of artistic and cultural perspectives. A prestigious team of international scholars discusses the applications and implications of color in Islamic cultures from medieval to modern times and from Central Asia to Spain and beyond. They look at art, architecture, literature, philosophy, mysticism, optics, and conservation studies. Amply and vividly illustrated, And Diverse Are Their Hues is also a remarkable visual resource for Islamic carpets, ceramic tiles, manuscripts, gardens, and buildings

Text and image in medieval Persian art by Sheila Blair( Book )

7 editions published between 2013 and 2014 in English and held by 277 WorldCat member libraries worldwide

This book investigates the interaction between word and image in medieval Persian art. Greater Iranian arts from the 10th to the 16th century are technically some of the finest produced anywhere. They are also intellectually engaging, showing the lively interaction between the verbal and the visual arts. Focusing on objects found in the main media at the time, Sheila S. Blair shows how artisans played with form, material and decoration to engage their audiences. She also shows how the reception of these objects has changed and that their present context has implications for our understanding of the past. It is lavishly illustrated in colour. It features five case studies - on ceramics, metalwares, painting, architecture and textiles - that showcase the variety of Persian art. It investigates the interaction between the visual and the verbal in a multi-lingual society. It looks at the transformation of everyday objects into works of art. It is written by one of the foremost experts in Persian art

God is the light of the heavens and the earth : light in Islamic art and culture by Biennial Hamad bin Khalifa Symposium on Islamic Art and Culture( Book )

4 editions published in 2015 in English and held by 197 WorldCat member libraries worldwide

The Qur'an makes rich references to light, tying it to revelation, and light consequently permeates the culture and visual arts of the Islamic lands. This book explores the integral role of light in Islamic civilization across a wide range of media, from the Qur'an and literature to buildings, paintings, performances, photography, and other works produced over the past 14 centuries. A team of international experts conveys current scholarship on Islamic art in a manner that is engaging and accessible to the general reader. The objects discussed include some of the first identifiable works of Islamic art-modest oil lamps inscribed in Arabic, which developed into elaborately decorated metal and glass lamps and chandeliers. Later, photography, which creates images with light, was readily adopted in Islamic lands, and it continues to provide inspiration for contemporary artists. Generously illustrated with specially commissioned, sumptuous color photographs, this book shows the potential of light to reveal color, form, and meaning

Cosmophilia : Islamic art from the David Collection, Copenhagen by Sheila Blair( Book )

4 editions published in 2006 in English and held by 180 WorldCat member libraries worldwide

A compendium of chronicles : Rashid al-Din's illustrated history of the world by Nasser D. Khalili Collection of Islamic Art( Book )

13 editions published in 1995 in English and Arabic and held by 179 WorldCat member libraries worldwide

The monumental inscriptions from early Islamic Iran and Transoxiana by Sheila Blair( Book )

12 editions published between 1991 and 2014 in English and held by 163 WorldCat member libraries worldwide

The Ilkhanid shrine complex at Natanz, Iran by Sheila Blair( Book )

10 editions published between 1986 and 2008 in English and Persian and held by 148 WorldCat member libraries worldwide

By the pen and what they write : writing in Islamic art and culture by Biennial Hamad bin Khalifa Symposium on Islamic Art and Culture( Book )

6 editions published in 2017 in English and held by 140 WorldCat member libraries worldwide

Considered by Muslims as the only true art, calligraphy has played a prominent role in Islamic culture since the time of the prophet Muhammad. Exploring this central role of the written word in Islam and how writing practices have evolved and adapted in different historical contexts, this book provides an overview of the enormous impact that writing in Arabic script has had on the visual arts of the Islamic world. Approaching the topic from a number of different perspectives, the essays in this volume include discussions on the relationship between orality and the written word; the materiality of the written word, ranging from the type of paper on which books were written to monumental inscriptions in stone and brick; and the development of Arabic typography and the printed book. Generously illustrated, By Pen and What They Write is an engaging look at how writing has remained a foundational component of Islamic art throughout fourteen centuries

Entlang der Seidenstrasse : frühmittelalterliche Kunst zwischen Persien und China in der Abegg-Stiftung by Abegg-Stiftung( Book )

8 editions published in 1998 in German and English and held by 116 WorldCat member libraries worldwide