Seminar: Artisans of Iron and Ink: Exploring the Tools and Makers in Islamic Art

From hammers and saws to compasses and anvils, the world of Islamic manuscripts preserves not only images of faith and beauty but also the traces of craft and invention. This talk invites you to discover how manuscript artists depicted metal tools and artisans—blacksmiths, builders, and makers—turning everyday labor into art. From prophetic figures like Idris to Ottoman guild parades, these images reveal how art recorded both the sacred and material dimensions of creativity. The lecture highlights the intersection of craft, knowledge, and visual culture in the Islamic world. A journey through painted pages where iron meets imagination.

Aslihan Erkmen (Ph.D., Istanbul Technical University) is an Associate Professor of Art History at Istanbul Technical University. Her main research interests include Islamic book arts, illustrated manuscripts, traditional arts and crafts, and intangible cultural heritage. She also practices the traditional arts of marbled paper and paper filigree.

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