Infinite Geometries: Exploring the Arts of the Medieval Islamic World

This magnificent mosque, named for a famous imam, was built in the early 17^th century for the private use of the court during the reign of Shah Abbas I of Persia. Its tiled dome is considered one of the masterpieces of Islamic art.

In this work, concentric rings of almond shapes filled with biomorphic patterns diminish in size as they approach the center. Here I have added a star pattern, not present on the actual dome, to emphasize this centrality. Despite its flowing shapes and precise spacing, construction of this pattern – like the vast majority in the Islamic tradition – began from a single circle simply divided into six.