Editing Islamic art (section)

== Glass ==
{{main|Islamic glass}}
[[File:Luck of Edenhall VandA C.1toB-1959.jpg|thumb|left|upright|"The [[Luck of Edenhall]]", a 13th-century Syrian beaker in England since the Middle Ages]]

For most of the Middle Ages Islamic glass was the most sophisticated in [[Eurasia]], exported to both Europe and China. Islam took over much of the traditional glass-producing territory of [[Sassanian glass|Sassanian]] and [[Ancient Roman glass]], and since figurative decoration played a small part in pre-Islamic glass, the change in style is not abrupt, except that the whole area initially formed a political whole, and, for example, Persian innovations were now almost immediately taken up in [[Egypt]]. For this reason, it is often impossible to distinguish between the various centres of production, of which Egypt, Syria and Persia were the most important, except by scientific analysis of the material, which itself has difficulties.<ref>Arts, 131, 135. The Introduction (pp. 131–135) is by [[Ralph Pinder-Wilson]], who shared the catalogue entries with [[Waffiya Essy]].</ref> From various documentary references{{vague|date=May 2022}} glassmaking and [[Ancient glass trade|glass trading]] seems to have been a speciality of the Jewish minority in several centres.<ref>Encyclopaedia Judaica, "Glass", [https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/judaica/ejud_0002_0007_0_07392.html Online version]</ref>{{unreliable source?|date=May 2022}}

[[File:Mosque lamp Met 91.1.1534.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Mamluk]] [[mosque lamp]]]]

Between the 8th and early 11th centuries the emphasis in luxury glass was on effects achieved by "manipulating the surface" of the glass, initially by incising into the glass on a wheel and later by cutting away the background to leave a design in relief.<ref>Arts, 131–133</ref> The very massive [[Hedwig glass]]es, only found in Europe but normally considered Islamic (or possibly from Muslim craftsmen in [[Norman Sicily]]), are an example of this, though puzzlingly late in date.<ref>Arts, 131, 141</ref> These and other glass pieces probably represented cheaper versions of vessels of carved [[rock crystal]] (clear [[quartz]]), themselves influenced by earlier glass vessels.<ref>Arts, 141</ref> and there is some evidence that at this period glass cutting and [[hardstone carving]] were regarded as the same craft.<ref>Endnote 111 in [https://books.google.com/books?id=ONUFZfcEkBgC&dq=Islamic+glass+Jewish&pg=RA1-PA88 ''Roman glass: reflections on cultural change''], Fleming, Stuart. see also endnote 110 for Jewish glassworkers</ref> From the 12th century the industry in Persia and [[Mesopotamia]] appears to decline, and the main production of luxury glass shifts to Egypt and Syria, and decorative effects of colour on smooth surfaced glass.<ref>Arts, 131, 133–135</ref> Throughout the period local centres made simpler wares such as [[Hebron glass]] in [[Palestine (region)|Palestine]].

Lustre painting, by techniques similar to [[lustreware]] in pottery, dates back to the 8th century in Egypt and became widespread in the 12th century. Another technique was decoration with threads of glass of a different colour, worked into the main surface, and sometimes manipulated by combing and other effects. [[Gilding|Gilded]], painted, and enameled glass were added to the repertoire, and shapes and motifs borrowed from other media, such as pottery and metalwork. Some of the finest work was in mosaic lamps donated by a ruler or wealthy man. As decoration grew more elaborate, the quality of the basic glass decreased, and it "often has a brownish-yellow tinge and is rarely free from bubbles.".<ref>Arts, 131–135, 141–146; quote, 134</ref> [[Aleppo]] seems to have ceased to be a major centre after the [[Mongol invasion]] of 1260, and [[Timur]] appears to have ended the Syrian industry about 1400 by carrying off the skilled workers to [[Samarkand]]. By about 1500 the [[Venice|Venetians]] were receiving large orders for mosque lamps.<ref>Arts, 134–135</ref>

{{anchor|Islamic brasswork}}