Public research seminar with Yuka Kadoi (Lebanese American University)
Start: 6 p.m.
The Mongol invasion in the thirteenth century marked a new phase in the development of Islamic art. Trans-Eurasian exchanges of goods, people and ideas were encouraged on a large scale under the auspices of the Pax Mongolica. With the fascination of portable objects brought from East Asia, a distinctive cultural taste was born and articulated in the art of the Middle East, particularly modern-day Iran. This illustrated lecture offers a fascinating glimpse into the artistic interaction between the Middle East and East Asia under the Mongols. By using rich visual materials from various media of decorative and pictorial arts - textiles, ceramics, metalwork and manuscript painting - the lecture looks at the process of adoption and adaptation of East Asian themes in the art of the Mongol-ruled Islamic world. The observation of this unique artistic phenomenon serves to promote the understanding of the artistic diversity of Islamic art in the Middle Ages.
