Content Research

Geometric Patterns in Islamic Art

Geometric patterns make up one of the three nonfigural types of decoration in Islamic art, which also include calligraphy and vegetal patterns. Whether isolated or used in combination with nonfigural ornamentation or figural representation, geometric patterns are popularly associated with Islamic art, largely due to their aniconic quality. These abstract designs not only adorn the surfaces of monumental Islamic architecture but also function as the major decorative element on a vast array of objects of all types. 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.

Consisting of, or generated from, such simple forms as the circle and the square, geometric patterns were combined, duplicated, interlaced, and arranged in intricate combinations, thus becoming one of the most distinguishing features of Islamic art. However, these complex patterns seem to embody a refusal to adhere strictly to the rules of geometry. As a matter of fact, geometric ornamentation in Islamic art suggests a remarkable amount of freedom; in its repetition and complexity, it offers the possibility of infinite growth and can accommodate the incorporation of other types of ornamentation as well. In terms of their abstractness, repetitive motifs, and symmetry, geometric patterns have much in common with the so-called arabesque style seen in many vegetal designs. Calligraphic ornamentation also appears in conjunction with geometric patterns.

The four basic shapes, or "repeat units," from which the more complicated patterns are constructed are: circles and interlaced circles; squares or four-sided polygons; the ubiquitous star pattern, ultimately derived from squares and triangles inscribed in a circle; and multisided polygons. It is clear, however, that the complex patterns found on many objects include a number of different shapes and arrangements, allowing them to fit into more than one category.

Content Research

The History of Origami in Japan

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The technique of paper making, which was introduced into Japan from China during the early seventh century, underwent considerable changes in its manufacturing process in Japan giving rise to a type of paper possessing dual qualities of resilient sturdiness and softness which prevents tearing when it is handled, Washi, a unique and distinct type of Japanese paper kindled many forms of cultural creativity, among them origami.
Unfortunately, it is not clear when origami in Japan first originated, However, what is known is that from old, letters and paper to wrap items in were folded. A well-regulated lifestyle came with the advent of samurai society which gave rise to the art of paper folding for practical and formal purposes. Recently, however, particularly from the onset of the Showa period (1926-1989), the art has rapidly passed into oblivion, but a vestige of its former use can still be seen in the noshi, a decoration of folded red and white paper attached to a gift.
Origami made to assume concrete shapes of, for example, a crane or boat is regarded as origami for pure enjoyment. However, I feel that these were probably once made for the purpose of bearing the illnesses and misfortunes that befell a person. They began to be made sometime around the beginning of the Edo period (1600-1868) which coincided with an age in which mass-produced, low-priced paper came to be widely used among the people.
During the Genroku era (1688-1704), origami of the crane and several varieties of boats used as designs on clothing became fashionable, and they were also reproduced with great frequency in Ukiyoe prints. Origami rapidly came to have a wide following during this period.
About a hundred years later, books and printed matter devoted exclusively to origami were published, creating a diverse and advanced form of origami. They were not only a form of children's amusement, but because they were also intended for adults, many of these origami were difficult to make and incorporated many complicated steps.
The technique of paper making was introduced into Europe in the twelfth century producing a distinct form of origami. However, origami was not taken up by a large number of people as it was in Japan.
During the Meiji period (1868-1912), origami was used as a teaching tool in the kindergarten and elementary school levels. Japan's origami was greatly influenced by Friedrich Wilhelm August Fröbel (1782-1852), a mid-nineteenth century German educator's method of teaching derived from European traditional origami, which further developed into folding to make various geometrical shapes, and was widely adopted particularly in the Japanese kindergartens.
During the Meiji period alone, there were many new origami creations conceived by numerous unknown inventors. However because origami required following precise directions, origami was not well received during the Taishou period (1912-1926), a time when educators favored placing importance on originality and creativity. Origami was deemed as lacking in these qualities. However, braced by a long history, origami once again regained its popularity.
Not only are there now many imaginative and novel origami creations, but its educational worth and immense potential have been also reconsidered and recognized. Origami has gained a widespread following as a hobby among adults. There are now many origami associations that have been formed overseas by origami enthusiasts.

Motif (visual arts)

In art, a motif  is an element of a pattern, image or part of one. A motif may be repeated in a design or composition, often many times, or may just occur once in a work.^[1] A motif may be an element in the iconographyof a particular subject or type of subject that is seen in other works.

Ornamental or decorative art can usually be analysed into a number of different elements, which can be called motifs. These may often, as in textile art, be repeated many times in a pattern. Important examples in Western art include acanthus, egg and dart, and various types of scrollwork.

Many designs in mosques in Islamic culture are motifs, including those of the sun, moon, animals such as horses and lions, flowers, and landscapes. Motifs can have emotional effects and be used for propaganda.

The term has become used more broadly in discussing literature and other narrative arts for a particular element or section in the story that represents a theme.