NMC396H1

The Art of the Qur’an

The holy Qur’an, believed by Muslims to be the Word of God, has been a source of creative and artistic inspiration for Muslims around the world and through the ages. The language and interpretation of the Qur’an have engaged the minds of artists, craftspeople, and patrons of the arts as much as the minds of theologians and jurists. This course explores expressions of the Qur’an through a wide range of visual and material culture–from illuminated manuscripts to the use of the sacred text on coins, amulets, architecture, ceramics, metalwork, textiles, and modern and contemporary works of art. The course will include visits to the Royal Ontario Museum to examine Qur’ans in its Islamic collection.