Qayrawan: The Amuletic City

In the late 19th century, Tunisian city of Qayrawān was covered in murals by anonymous female artists. This book investigates the history of these murals and how they differ from classical Islamic antecedents and modern modes of Arab cultural production. It is a record of a unique moment in art history and a challenge to rethink the spiritual force and agency of these anonymous female artists.

Format: Hardback
Length: 208 pages
Publication date: 22 March 2024
Publisher: Pennsylvania State University Press

In the final years of the 19th century, the Tunisian city of Qayrawān experienced a remarkable transformation as a series of stunning murals adorned its streets and buildings. These monumental artworks, primarily concentrated around the Great Mosque, were only visible for approximately fifty years, from the 1880s to the 1930s. This captivating book delves into the intriguing history behind the creation of these outdoor paintings, shedding light on the identities of the artists and the motivations behind their work.

To reconstruct the visual history of these murals, William Gallois employs a range of visual archaeological methods. He scours through photographs, postcards, and other forms of European ephemera, carefully identifying pictorial records of the murals. Through his meticulous research, Gallois uncovers a unique form of religious painting that transposed traditional aesthetic forms, such as house decoration, embroidery, and tattooing, which were traditionally associated with women, onto the body of a conquered city.

Gallois argues that these murals were created by women as a form of "emergency art," intended to offer amuletic protection for the community during a time of great peril. He demonstrates how these works differ markedly from "classical" Islamic antecedents and modern modes of Arab cultural production in the Middle East and North Africa. This study, based on extensive archival research, serves as both a record of a unique moment in the history of art and a challenge to rethink the spiritual force and agency of a group of anonymous female artists whose paintings aspired to help save the world at a time of immense uncertainty.

The murals in Qayrawān represent a remarkable intersection of cultural and artistic traditions, showcasing the resilience and creativity of the human spirit. They serve as a testament to the power of art to transcend boundaries and inspire change, even in the face of adversity. This book will appeal to scholars of art history, Islamic studies, Middle East studies, and the history of magic, offering a fresh perspective on the rich tapestry of artistic expression throughout history.

Weight: 885g
Dimension: 241 x 203 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780271095271