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Azulejos: The Colorful Link Between The Arab World and Europe
Maria Antonietta Marino Date:
2021-03-20
azulejo-artwork, arabic-influence-on-spanish-culture, arabic-influence-on-portugal, moorish-influence-in-europe, islamic-art-and-architecture, latin-europe-cluster, middle-east-cluster, culture-below-the-waterline, art-social-values-and-morality,
Al-Andalus, Gharb al-Andalus: history, religion, and art in Muslim Spain and Portugal
Azulejos, the glazed ceramic tiles that in Portugal decorate the walls of train stations, the interior and exterior of historical buildings and ordinary houses, monuments, fountains, benches, and pathways, acted over the years as a cultural bridge between the Middle East, Latin Europe, and Portuguese colonies all over the world.
Introduced in the Iberian Peninsula during the Muslim invasion, "the tile was not only absorbed by the local culture, but also taken by the Portuguese people to other places, such as Brazil or India. In these new places, it acquired new meanings, being adapted and transformed according to the local aesthetic tastes." (Magalhães, 2020).
Introduced in the Iberian Peninsula during the Muslim invasion, "the tile was not only absorbed by the local culture, but also taken by the Portuguese people to other places, such as Brazil or India. In these new places, it acquired new meanings, being adapted and transformed according to the local aesthetic tastes." (Magalhães, 2020).
“Design creates culture. Culture shapes values. Values determine the future.”
- Robert L. Peters -
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Zellīj (or zellige) - a tile decoration technique that originated in the Maghreb area in the 10th century - is characterized by mosaics with complex geometric patterns, often associated with Islamic art due to their aniconic quality (in religion, aniconism indicates the opposition to the use of icons or visual images to depict living creatures or religious figures): an essay published by the Met Museum explains that "geometric patterns make up one of the three nonfigural types of decoration in Islamic art, which also include calligraphy and vegetal patterns. While geometric ornamentation may have reached a pinnacle in the Islamic world, the sources for both the shapes and the intricate patterns already existed in late antiquity among the Greeks, Romans, and Sasanians in Iran. Islamic artists appropriated key elements from the classical tradition, then complicated and elaborated upon them in order to invent a new form of decoration that stressed the importance of unity and order. The significant intellectual contributions of Islamic mathematicians, astronomers, and scientists were essential to the creation of this unique new style." [See research on the Evolution of Islamic geometric patterns and study on The Secret Of “Circle” In Islamic Architecture for further details on this particular matter].
Ben Youssef Madrasa, Marrakesh, Morocco
(Image Source: Wikimedia Commons - By إيان - CC BY-SA 4.0)
Moulay Idriss Mausoleum, Fez, Morocco
(Image Source: Wikimedia Commons - By Yamen - CC BY-SA 4.0)
Moulay Idriss Mausoleum, Fez, Morocco
(Image Source: Wikimedia Commons - By Yamen - CC BY-SA 4.0)While exquisite mosaic tiles in a Moorish pattern can still be admired in Andalusia's palaces and mosques (such as Seville’s Real Alcázar, Granada’s Alhambra, and the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba), after the end of the Moorish rule in the Iberian Peninsula azulejo design started to include different subjects, such as humans, animals, and mythological creatures. An example of Renaissance tiles can be found at the Carlos V pavilion of the Real Alcázar of Seville (click here to take the virtual tour):
(Image source: own photo) 
(Image source: own photo) From Andalusia, the tile of Muslim origin was then introduced in Portugal by Manuel I, King of Portugal (1469-1521), "who visiting 'Castile, was so impressed with the ceramic compositions used in Andalusia that, [...] on his initiative, an order for 10 146 Hispano-Moorish tiles, for the decoration of his palace in Sintra, arrived in the port of Belém, in Lisbon, in 1508, in which a wide variety of tile patterns and techniques were applied like dry rope, edge, stapled, and relieved tiles.'." (Magalhães, 2020).
"Hispano-Moresque Tiles: The interior walls of the National Palace of Sintra are lined with Europe’s largest set of Mudejar tiles still in place today. The walls of the Sala dos Archeiros (Archers’ Room) are lined with relief tiles, decorated with a motif of vine leaves and bunches of grapes and using a technique in which the clay is moulded with high-relief forms. This represented an entirely new decorative type of tile". (Google Arts & Culture)
"Hispano-Moresque Tiles: The interior walls of the National Palace of Sintra are lined with Europe’s largest set of Mudejar tiles still in place today. The walls of the Sala dos Archeiros (Archers’ Room) are lined with relief tiles, decorated with a motif of vine leaves and bunches of grapes and using a technique in which the clay is moulded with high-relief forms. This represented an entirely new decorative type of tile". (Google Arts & Culture)
(Image Source: Wikimedia Commons - By MollySVH - CC BY 2.0)
Visual art aside, the Islamic rule in the Iberian Peninsula (known at the time as Al-Andalus) left distinctive marks on the both the Spanish and the Portuguese language:
- the International Institute of the Portuguese Language (IILP) reports that "the extent of the influence of Arabic in Portuguese, which most authors summarize to about 1,000 nouns, should be considerably expanded, not only in its number, which according to Adalberto Alves is 18,073 terms, as well as at grammatical level, it includes not only nouns, but adjectives, verbs, pronouns, articles and interjections.", while Alugha claims that "there are 17 semantic fields in the Portuguese language with Arabic influence: public administration, war, social life and relations, private life, rural and urban nomenclature, flora, natural resources, fauna, agriculture, weights, measurements and mathematics, commerce and industry, dynasty and ethnicity, colors, adjectives, grammatical instruments, verbs and greetings";
- with regard to Spanish, "according to philologist Rafael Lapesa, a Spanish historian and former director of the Spanish Royal Academy, about 4,000 words of modern Spanish come from Arabic." (Babbel).
Note that the 14th word in this infographic is actually azulejo, from Arabic az-zulayj, polished stone (Infographic source: Qatar Foundation International. On a related note, click here to visit the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha).
- the International Institute of the Portuguese Language (IILP) reports that "the extent of the influence of Arabic in Portuguese, which most authors summarize to about 1,000 nouns, should be considerably expanded, not only in its number, which according to Adalberto Alves is 18,073 terms, as well as at grammatical level, it includes not only nouns, but adjectives, verbs, pronouns, articles and interjections.", while Alugha claims that "there are 17 semantic fields in the Portuguese language with Arabic influence: public administration, war, social life and relations, private life, rural and urban nomenclature, flora, natural resources, fauna, agriculture, weights, measurements and mathematics, commerce and industry, dynasty and ethnicity, colors, adjectives, grammatical instruments, verbs and greetings";
- with regard to Spanish, "according to philologist Rafael Lapesa, a Spanish historian and former director of the Spanish Royal Academy, about 4,000 words of modern Spanish come from Arabic." (Babbel).
Note that the 14th word in this infographic is actually azulejo, from Arabic az-zulayj, polished stone (Infographic source: Qatar Foundation International. On a related note, click here to visit the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha).
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TRAVEL AND READING RECOMMENDATIONS
Attractions and Tours: Paid Live Tours (PL), Paid Self-Guided Tours (PSG), Paid Virtual Tours (PV), Free Live Tours (FL)
Morocco
- Imperial Cities of Morocco 5 Day Tour, Morocco (PL)
- Private Tour of Marrakech, Marrakech, Morocco (PL)
- Cultural tour of Marrakech, Marrakech, Morocco (PL)
- Medina and Mederassa Ben Youssef walking tour, Marrakech, Morocco (PL)
- Fez Private Sightseeing Tour, Fez, Morocco (PL)
- Fez Medina Private Tour, Fez, Morocco (PL)
- Craft workshop tour from Fez, Fez, Morocco (PL)
- Private Tour of Casablanca, Casablanca, Morocco (PL)
- Tour of Casablanca and Hassan II Mosque, Casablanca, Morocco (PL)
Morocco
- Imperial Cities of Morocco 5 Day Tour, Morocco (PL)
- Private Tour of Marrakech, Marrakech, Morocco (PL)
- Cultural tour of Marrakech, Marrakech, Morocco (PL)
- Medina and Mederassa Ben Youssef walking tour, Marrakech, Morocco (PL)
- Fez Private Sightseeing Tour, Fez, Morocco (PL)
- Fez Medina Private Tour, Fez, Morocco (PL)
- Craft workshop tour from Fez, Fez, Morocco (PL)
- Private Tour of Casablanca, Casablanca, Morocco (PL)
- Tour of Casablanca and Hassan II Mosque, Casablanca, Morocco (PL)
- Casablanca and Rabat Private Tour, Morocco (PL)
- Private Guided Tour of Chefchaouen, Chefchaouen, Morocco (PL)
Spain
- Tangier from Seville full-day tour, Morocco/Spain (PL)
- Alcázar, Seville Cathedral and La Giralda Guided Tour, Seville, Spain (PL)
- Alcazar of Seville Guided Tour, Seville, Spain (PL)
- Royal Alcázar of Seville self-guided audio tour, Seville, Spain (PSG)
- Free Tour of Sevilla, Seville, Spain (FL)
- Legends and Mysteries of Seville free tour, Seville, Spain (FL)
- Alhambra & Generalife Tour, Granada, Spain (PL)
- Granada's Hammam Al Ándalus Arab Baths, Granada, Spain (PL)
- Private historical tour of Granada: from the Muslim to the Christian era, Granada, Spain (PL)
- Virtual tour of Alhambra from home, Granada, Spain (PV)
- Free Walking Tour of Granada, Granada, Spain (FL)
- Complete Cordoba Tour with Tickets, Cordoba, Spain (PL)
- Classic Cordoba Guided Tour with Mosque Entrance, Cordoba, Spain (PL)
- Cathedral-Mosque of Córdoba and Jewish Quarter walking tour, Cordoba, Spain (PL)
- Guided tour of the Medina Azahara, Cordoba, Spain (PL)
- Free Tour of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain (FL)
- Legends and Mysteries of Córdoba free tour, Cordoba, Spain (FL)
Portugal
- Lisboa Card (Lisbon Card), Lisbon, Portugal (PL)
- Lisbon Walking Tour, Lisbon, Portugal (PL)
- Lisbon Day Tour, Lisbon, Portugal (PL)
- Tiles and Tales: Azulejos Workshop and Private Tour, Lisbon, Portugal (PL)
- Lisbon Essentials: Sightseeing Walking Tour & Audio Guide, Lisbon, Portugal (PSG)
- Free Walking Tour of Alfama, Lisbon, Portugal (F)
- Azulejo Workshop, Porto, Portugal (PL)
- Complete Porto Tour With Tickets, Porto, Portugal (PL)
- Free Walking Tour of Porto, Porto, Portugal (FL)
- Alternative Porto Free Tour, Porto, Portugal (FL)
- National Palace of Sintra: Skip The Line, Sintra, Portugal (PSG)
- Pena Palace: Ticket & Audio Tour, Sintra, Portugal (PSG)
- National Palace and Gardens of Queluz: Skip The Line, Queluz, Portugal (PSG)
BOOKS
- Architecture of the Islamic West: North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula, 700–1800
- Islamic Art and Architecture 650-1250
- Stealing from the Saracens: How Islamic Architecture Shaped Europe
- The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Islamic Art and Architecture: A Comprehensive History of Islam's 1,400-Year Legacy of Art and Design, With 500 Color Photographs, Reproductions and Fine-Art Paintings
- Islamic Art: Architecture, Painting, Calligraphy, Ceramics, Glass, Carpets
- The Art and Architecture of Islam, 1250–1800 (The Yale University Press Pelican History of Art Series)
- Islamic Art and Visual Culture: An Anthology of Sources
- Mudéjar Art: Islamic Aesthetics in Christian Art (Islamic Art in the Mediterranean)
- A History of Islamic Spain
- Muslim Spain and Portugal: A Political History of al-Andalus
SOURCES:
- Google Arts & Culture: "The Azulejo in Portugal. An identitary art. A world heritage". [Online]
- Magalhães, F. (2020). "Building Bridges Between Cultures: The Originalities of the Portuguese Tile". European Scientific Journal, ESJ. Retrieved from https://eujournal.org/index.php/esj/article/view/12858
- Yahya Abdullahi, Mohamed Rashid Bin Embi. "Evolution of Islamic geometric patterns". Frontiers of Architectural Research, Volume 2, Issue 2, 2013, Pages 243-251, ISSN 2095-2635, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foar.2013.03.002.
- Grabar, O. (2003). "From the Icon to Aniconism: Islam and the Image". Museum International, 55, 46 - 53. [UNESDOC Digital Library, Online]
- The MET Museum: "Geometric Patterns in Islamic Art". [Online]
- The Art of Islamic Pattern: "Introduction to Geometry". [Online]
- The MET Museum: "Calligraphy in Islamic Art". [Online]
- The MET Museum: "Vegetal Patterns in Islamic Art". [Online]
- World History Encyclopedia: "Reconquista". [Online]
- Dosde Publications: "The Royal Alcazar of Seville". [Online]
- Dosde Publications: "The Alhambra of Granada". [Online]
- Mezquita-Catedral de Cordoba: "Discovering the Monument. The Building". [Online]
- Dosde Publications: "Andalusian Tilework". [Online]
- Google Arts & Culture: "National Palace of Sintra | Tile". [Online]
- IILP: "THE INFLUENCES OF ARAB IN PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE AND PORTUGUESE PLACES WITH ARAB NAMES". [Online]
- Alugha: "Arabic influences in the Portuguese language: do you know the origin?". [Online]
- Babbel Magazine: "The Influence Of Arabic On The Spanish Language". [Online]
- Qatar Foundation International: "Infographic: Arabic Influence on the Spanish Language". [Online]
- Google Arts & Culture: "The Azulejo in Portugal. An identitary art. A world heritage". [Online]
- Magalhães, F. (2020). "Building Bridges Between Cultures: The Originalities of the Portuguese Tile". European Scientific Journal, ESJ. Retrieved from https://eujournal.org/index.php/esj/article/view/12858
- Yahya Abdullahi, Mohamed Rashid Bin Embi. "Evolution of Islamic geometric patterns". Frontiers of Architectural Research, Volume 2, Issue 2, 2013, Pages 243-251, ISSN 2095-2635, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foar.2013.03.002.
- Grabar, O. (2003). "From the Icon to Aniconism: Islam and the Image". Museum International, 55, 46 - 53. [UNESDOC Digital Library, Online]
- The MET Museum: "Geometric Patterns in Islamic Art". [Online]
- The Art of Islamic Pattern: "Introduction to Geometry". [Online]
- The MET Museum: "Calligraphy in Islamic Art". [Online]
- The MET Museum: "Vegetal Patterns in Islamic Art". [Online]
- World History Encyclopedia: "Reconquista". [Online]
- Dosde Publications: "The Royal Alcazar of Seville". [Online]
- Dosde Publications: "The Alhambra of Granada". [Online]
- Mezquita-Catedral de Cordoba: "Discovering the Monument. The Building". [Online]
- Dosde Publications: "Andalusian Tilework". [Online]
- Google Arts & Culture: "National Palace of Sintra | Tile". [Online]
- IILP: "THE INFLUENCES OF ARAB IN PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE AND PORTUGUESE PLACES WITH ARAB NAMES". [Online]
- Alugha: "Arabic influences in the Portuguese language: do you know the origin?". [Online]
- Babbel Magazine: "The Influence Of Arabic On The Spanish Language". [Online]
- Qatar Foundation International: "Infographic: Arabic Influence on the Spanish Language". [Online]
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