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Ebrahjm, Mostafa Abdel-Bary
DETERMINATION OF THE ISLAMIC ART ACCURACY
BY USING DIGITAL CLOSE RANGE PHOTOGRAMMETRY
Dr. Mostafa Abdel-Bary EBRAHIM
Lecturer at Civil Engineering Department
Faculty of Engineering
Assiut University
Assiut, Egypt.
Ebrahim@acc.aun.eun.eg
KEY WORDS : Digital Photogrammetry, Accuracy, Islamic Art, Close-Range, Photogrammetry, Orthoimage
ABSTRACT
Islamic art is perhaps the most accessible manifestation of a complex civilization that often seems enigmatic to
outsiders. One of the most important element in Islamic art is a preference for covering surfaces with patterns composed
of geometric or vegetal elements.
An accuracy investigation has been done to obtain the accuracy of the Islamic painting on the mosques’ ceilings and
domes. To carry out this investigation, ten photos have been taken from different camera stations for the ceiling of
Abdel-Raheem El-Kenawi’s mosque by using a non-metric camera. New comparison techniques have been used to find
out the relation between the points’ coordinates in order to obtain the accuracy of the Islamic painting. Then a numerical
comparison between the symmetrical points has been done and other geometric comparison techniques have been
applied to verify the results of the numerical comparison.
The results showed that such Islamic art is accurate in dimension and shape. The numerical results have been tabulated
and the geometric results have been done in images form.
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 The Islamic Art
Art is the mirror of a culture and its world view. There is no case to which this statement more directly applies than to
the art of the Islamic world. Not only does its art reflect its culture values, but even more importantly, the way in which
its adherents, the Muslims, view the spiritual realm, the universe, life, and the relationship of the parts to the whole.
(Elisabeth Siddiqui, 2000)
Islamic art is perhaps the most accessible manifestation of a complex civilization that often seems enigmatic to
outsiders. Through its brilliant use of color and its superb balance between design and form, Islamic art creates an
immediate visual impact. Its strong aesthetic appeal transcends distances in time and space, as well as differences in
language, culture, and creed. Islamic art not only invites a closer look but also beckons the viewer to learn more.
The term Islamic art may be confusing to some. It not only describes the art created specifically in the service of Islam,
but it also characterizes secular art produced in lands under Islamic rule or influence, whatever the artist’s or the
patron’s religious affiliation. The term suggests an art unified in style and purpose, and indeed there are certain common
features that distinguish the arts of all Islamic lands. Although this is a highly dynamic art, which is often marked by
strong regional characteristics as well as by significant influences from other cultures, it retains an overall coherence that
is remarkable given its vast geographic and temporal boundaries. Of paramount concern to the development of this
singular art is Islam itself, which fostered the creation of a distinctive visual culture with its own unique artistic
language. (Linda Komaroff, 1999)
One of the most important elements of the Islamic art is a preference for covering surfaces with patterns composed of
geometric or vegetal elements. Complex geometric designs, as well as intricate patterns of vegetal ornament (such as
the arabesque), create the impression of unending repetition, which is believed by some to be an inducement to
contemplate the infinite nature of God. This type of nonrepresentational decoration may have been developed to such a
high degree in Islamic art because of the absence of figural imagery, at least within a religious context.
International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXIII, Part B5. Amsterdam 2000. 195
