Romanesque and Islamic

Romanesque and Islamic Architecture 

 Summary: 

    Chapter 5 of Mark Hinchman's Book History of Interior Architecture covers the medieval period of Romanesque and Islamic designs. The text gives an overview of each of these styles and the cultures that they represent from the people of this time. 

    Romanesque design impacted the styles that followed from Gothic to influential architects in the 19th century. Islamic design continues to be applied to current art and structures across various continents. Specially the areas of Africa, the Middle East, and Asia remain creating under the name of Islamic design. This chapter also emphasizes that while these are two distinct design styles, they do interact and impact each other through military operations. 

Designs & Current Applications: 

    While little furniture survived from the Romanesque time, one famous artifact that remains is Dagobert I's Chair. The chair has an x-frame structure that had been seen previously in other areas (Egypt, Greece, Byzantine Empire) but the craftsmanship of this piece of furniture is what sets it apart. This chair was also symbolic because it combined aspects of royal and religious power. It resembled both emperor thrones and the x-frame incorporated the style that was often associated with the Catholic popes. The chair was functional, aesthetic, representational, and efficient, too. The x-frame structure allowed it to also be portable, which was perfect for military uses. A current application of Dagobert's chair is a director's chair often seen around cinema and television sets. The similar x-frame makes it perfectly portable in the world of Hollywood and also sets apart the director from the rest of the cast. 

Dagobert's Throne - France - Made of Metal and Has an X-Frame

Modern Director's Chair - Often Made of Wood and Fabric - Similar X-Frame

    To continue, Islamic designs also had distinct furniture that suited the needs of the people. An example of this is the use of pillows, carpets, and mats as seating. This was necessary because of the climate of the area. The heat caused people to spend their meals and other gatherings seated on the ground. For comfortability, cushioned material was very important to put between the person's knees and the ground. A modern application of this design are ottomans in the common household. While many of them are slightly elevated from the ground, they act as a comfortable alternative to floor seating. The cushioned material is often decorated similar to how Islamic cushions were as well. 

Diwan Nawal Singh, Prime Minister of Datia - Shows the Use of Cushions and Mats for Seating

Common Cushion/Ottoman in American Households

    Another design aspect is the use of Islamic decoration at Isfahan. The book describes that in Islamic design, "There are walls that look like carpets and carpets that look like walls." Isfahan is a great example of this where  the walls are covered in nonrepresentational and geometric patterns that reflect styles most often associated with carpet. An example of this idea today is the piece "ReSalvage Mosaic" by Artaic. The work is made out of 97% recycled glass tiles and has a pattern that could be considered fit for a modern carpet. The tiles are creating a pattern for the walls. 

Isfahan Mosque - Showcases Carpet-Like-Patterns

ReSalvage Mosaic - Artaic - The Tiles Create A Pattern, Similar to the Mosque Above

One Step Further: 

    One piece that really stuck with me from this reading was the Great Mosque of Kairouan in Tunisia. This was constructed between 820-836 AD. The interesting thing about this structure is that it used many of the Roman ruins. Tunisia had a plethora of old architecture and it was used to create a new space. Because of the use of these ruins, the architects combined classical architecture with Islam design. Specifically in this building, Islamic arches were employed while still using material from the Romans. It is not known who the specific architect was for this project, but it was ordered by ruler Ziyadat Allah. Listed below are different angles of this site. 

Great Mosque of Kairouan - Kairouan Tunisia - The Front Entrance 

Depicts the Combination of Roman Orders and Islamic Arches

Another Perspective Showing How Different Materials Were Used

Conclusion: 

    This section was very interesting to read about. While being two separate styles, Romanesque and Islamic shared many similarities. The text explained that these design styles were the fundamentals for the distinct architect that followed. For example, the later Gothic style was heavily influenced by Romanesque and Islamic characteristics. It is very interesting to see how these time periods and designs influenced later designs.