
Colors Shimmering in the Light: Islamic Mosaics Panorama
Mughal Gardens, Paradise on Earth
September 15, 2020The Mughal regime is a well-documented era and the cultural achievements of this period are an important landmark in South Asian art history. While the awe-inspiring buildings, tombs, and mausoleums of this period are renowned for their grand...
Eid Al-Adha — Seven Beautiful Mosques Around the World
July 30, 2020Eid al-Adha is observed between the 10th to the 13th days of the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah. This is the Eid of the sacrifice as it commemorates Ibrahim’s sacrifice or qurbani of his own son, Ishmael to...
Hagia Sophia Becomes a Mosque – What You Need to Know
July 23, 2020According to recent news, the President of Turkey has converted Istanbul’s famous Hagia Sophia back into a mosque. His decision is highly controversial, given Hagia Sophia’s reputation as a major monument of human history. Here is the historical,...
Home and Migration in the Artworks of Zarina Hashmi
July 1, 2020Zarina Hashmi (16 July 1937 – 25 April 2020), was an Indian-American artist and printmaker based in New York City. She was known by her professional name, Zarina. Her works include drawings, prints, and sculptures. She used abstract...
Painting of the Week: Tughra of Sultan Süleiman the Magnificent
April 19, 2020The Ottoman Empire was an exotic realm filled with sheikhs, silks, and saffron. During the 16th and 17th centuries, it reached the height of its powers and extended into several continents, crossing nations and languages. It encompassed the...
Nur Jahan – the Light of the World
April 4, 2020Mehr-un-Nissa was an influential woman of the Mughal era, well-known for her great beauty, unmatched intelligence, and volatile temper. As a woman in the 1600s, the tale of her rise to power and prominence is unique and noteworthy. After...
Turquoise: Art, Culture and Myth of a Gemstone
July 27, 2019The bright blue-green Turquoise has been valued and revered for centuries by all the cultures around the world that had access to it. Several original sources of the stone are now long gone, having been mined to remove...
