Art History 262 - ART & POWER IN THE ARAB WORLD

This course considers the use of art and architecture as an expression of power in the Arab world, from the 7th century to the present. Beginning with the establishment of the caliphate and ending with the arts of revolution following the Arab Spring, we will investigate the shifting role of art and architecture in the quest for political dominance. With a particular focus on the arts of Cairo, Baghdad, Cordoba, Mecca, Jerusalem, Palermo, Damascus, and the modern Arabian Gulf, we will explore competing visions of power and sources of legitimacy, through the lens of artistic production. (E)