On the problem of artistic peculiarities of the art of the 11th–14th centuries Seljuk Turks

Abstract

This article deals with some problems of the artistic features of the art of the 11th–14th centuries Seljuk Turks. Today, this subject has become the object of numerous studies by historians, orientalists, cultural experts, art historians, museologists, etc. The art of the Seljuk Turks cannot be understood in static terms; it is not something given once and for all. It can only be understood in the dynamics of the development of historical events, and, of course, migration processes, contacts with various peoples and their cultures. In our understanding, the art of the Seljuks is the art of the Seljuk Turks, immigrants from Central Asia, who synthesized the artistic traditions of Herat, Iran, Byzantium, Sogd and China with the basic essentials of their own artistic worldview for four centuries. We think that it is precisely this methodological approach that reveals the essence of Seljuk art, understanding the traditions of different peoples most fully, not only artistic, but also spiritual above all. Monuments of Seljuk art provide an opportunity to experience various ethnocultural interrelations. Moreover, it is when a fusion of various confessional, mental, artistic traditions occurs that this art achieves an incredible creative takeoff. Seljuk art has many faces; in this article we would like to highlight only some theoretical problems, demonstrating them on specific artifacts for future, more thorough research.