05-04-2020, 23:04
Art of Spain
Part One - The Moorish South
2008 BBC presented by Andrew Graham-Dixon
The Moors were the muslims from North Africa who invaded the Iberian peninsula, starting with Gibraltar in 711 AD. They ruled the Southern parts of what are now Spain and Portugal to varying degrees until the end of the Reconquista in 1492 when they were finally expelled.
The Moorish empire in Iberia was known as Al-Andalus and was the leading centre of culture and learning in Europe during its early period and some of their impressive buildings survive such as the mosque in Cordoba and the Alhambra Palace in Granada.
Graham-Dixon explains all this and more but the problem he faces is that there's not much in the way of "art" for him to discuss. He points out that figurative art is banned in Islam which just leaves a handful of buildings to look at. Despite this I enjoyed this episode as most of the history was new to me and it was presnted in an engaging manner.
Part One - The Moorish South
2008 BBC presented by Andrew Graham-Dixon
The Moors were the muslims from North Africa who invaded the Iberian peninsula, starting with Gibraltar in 711 AD. They ruled the Southern parts of what are now Spain and Portugal to varying degrees until the end of the Reconquista in 1492 when they were finally expelled.
The Moorish empire in Iberia was known as Al-Andalus and was the leading centre of culture and learning in Europe during its early period and some of their impressive buildings survive such as the mosque in Cordoba and the Alhambra Palace in Granada.
Graham-Dixon explains all this and more but the problem he faces is that there's not much in the way of "art" for him to discuss. He points out that figurative art is banned in Islam which just leaves a handful of buildings to look at. Despite this I enjoyed this episode as most of the history was new to me and it was presnted in an engaging manner.