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Symbol, Pattern and Symmetry: The Cultural Significance of Structure investigates how pattern and symbol has functioned in visual arts, exploring how connections and comparisons in geometrical pattern can be made across different cultures and how the significance of these designs has influenced craft throughout history.The book features illustrative examples of symbol and pattern from a wide range of historical and cultural contexts, from Byzantine, Persian and Assyrian design, to case studies of Japanese and Chinese patterns. Looking at each culture's specific craft style, Hann shows how the visual arts are underpinned with a strict geometric structure, and argues that understanding these underlying structures enables us to classify and compare data from across cultures and historical periods.Richly illustrated with both colour and black and white images, and with clear, original commentary, the book enables students, practitioners, teachers and researchers to explore the historical and cultural significance of symbol and pattern in craft and design, ultimately displaying how a geometrical dialogue in design can be established through history and culture.
List of contents
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: Geometry and Culture
Chapter 3: Cradles of Civilization and Initiators of Trade
Chapter 4: Cultural Interaction and Exchange: the Importance of the Silk Route
Chapter 5: Stupas, Mandalas and Nirvana: the Origin and Diffusion of Buddhism
Chapter 6: Mosques, Minarets and Minbars: the Origin and Diffusion of Islam
Chapter 7: From Syrian Umayyads to Christian Kings: Achievements in the Decorative Arts and Architecture in Islamic Spain
Chapter 8: The Decorative Arts of Safavid Persia
Chapter 9: The Decorative Arts of the Ottoman Empire
Chapter 10: The Decorative Arts of the Mughal Dynasty
Chapter 11: Visions from the East: Influences on European Decorative Arts
Chapter 12: Cultural Diffusion, Adoption and Adaptation
About the author
Professor Michael Hann (BA, M.Phil, PhD, FRSA, FTI) holds the Chair of Design Theory at the University of Leeds. He is also Director of the University of Leeds International Textiles Archive (ULITA). He has published across a number of subject areas, has made numerous key-note addresses at international conferences, and is an acknowledged international expert on the geometry of design. Previous publications with Berg are: Structure and Form in Design (2012) and Symbol, Pattern and Symmetry (2013).
Summary
Symbol, Pattern and Symmetry: The Cultural Significance of Structure investigates how pattern and symbol has functioned in visual arts, exploring how connections and comparisons in geometrical pattern can be made across different cultures and how the significance of these designs has influenced craft throughout history.
The book features illustrative examples of symbol and pattern from a wide range of historical and cultural contexts, from Byzantine, Persian and Assyrian design, to case studies of Japanese and Chinese patterns. Looking at each culture’s specific craft style, Hann shows how the visual arts are underpinned with a strict geometric structure, and argues that understanding these underlying structures enables us to classify and compare data from across cultures and historical periods.
Richly illustrated with both colour and black and white images, and with clear, original commentary, the book enables students, practitioners, teachers and researchers to explore the historical and cultural significance of symbol and pattern in craft and design, ultimately displaying how a geometrical dialogue in design can be established through history and culture.
