El mosaico en el arte islámico: precedentes, tradiciones y desarrollo, y su relación con el alicatado

The mosaic has been one of the most attractive artistic expressions since antiquity, primarily associated with the Roman and Byzantine worlds, where it reached a high level of refinement. However, in the Islamic context, this technique also played a significant role starting from the Umayyad Caliphate, when Muslims continued along the same artistic path of the Late Antique period, evolving it into a unique aesthetic. The mosaic, far from being a mere adoption or borrowing from Byzantine art, was adapted and transformed to meet the cultural and religious needs of Islam. This paper investigates the evolution of mosaics in Islamic art, highlighting their autonomous development and their relationship with the Mediterranean koiné. In discussing various examples of mosaics throughout the centuries and across different geographical areas, attention is also given to the technique of wall ceramics, which some studies have interpreted as a continuation or imitation of mosaics. This parallel analysis seeks to determine if and how these two techniques interacted. For this reason, tilework is discussed almost exclusively in cases where there is also some form of mosaic art, excluding areas such as Anatolia and Iran. The primary objective of this thesis is to gather and analyse the artistic production of mosaics in the Islamic world, covering various regions from the Mediterranean to Mesopotamia and the Arabian Peninsula. The research focuses on the autonomy that Islamic art achieved in creating mosaics, despite its repetition of Late Antique or Byzantine-inspired decorative models. Another goal is to include Islamic art within the broader Mediterranean artistic koiné during both the Late Antique and medieval periods, a topic to which much recent historiography is dedicated. The analysis of decorative mosaic programs in the Islamic context reveals the vastness of this production over the centuries. The results of this research show that mosaic in Islamic art remained a distinct decorative form, without necessarily relying on Byzantine craftsmanship for the creation of new artistic programs. This suggests the persistence of mosaic workshops after the 8th century in specific areas, such as Bilad al-Sham and Egypt, albeit on a smaller scale compared to Late Antiquity. Furthermore, the relationship between mosaics and wall ceramics is explored, questioning the common assumption that the latter was an evolution of the former. As for wall ceramics, production is much broader and more diverse, depending on the region. In summary, it can be divided into two main categories: lacería (interlacing) and estrellas (stra-shaped). Lacería, developed from scientific studies in the 10th century, is created from interwoven patterns and shows a distant connection to Late Antique geometric mosaic in terms of pattern repetition and the use of braided motifs. However, its development was entirely autonomous, and the design is much more suited to ceramic techniques. On the other hand, estrellas tilework, though more similar in appearance to mosaic, has a more direct relationship with opus sectile, due to its characteristics of assembling polygonal pieces of various juxtaposed shapes. The continued use of mosaic in the Islamic world is closely linked to periods of revival of Islam’s classical period. Various dynasties, in their quest for political and religious legitimacy, turned both to the creation of new artistic programs and the restoration of ancient monuments decorated with mosaics. This process of revival and reinterpretation served as a mean to strengthen their authority, symbolically connecting with the most glorious periods of early Islam, particularly the Umayyad Caliphate. Although mosaic patronage diminished and was displaced in some contexts by wall ceramics, it remained a symbol of prestige and historical continuity in key areas of the Islamic world. At the same time, the autonomous development of tilework reaffirms Islam's creative ability to generate new decorative techniques, suited to scientific advancements and the artistic needs of the time.