Objects that invite attention.

Explore a manuscript page and an architectural space. Begin with close observation, then use the catalogue and source records to understand what is known.

A page from a Quran

Late 9th–early 10th century, probably Syria. The museum catalogue records the object and its attribution; “probably” expresses uncertainty and should remain part of the description.

Observe the spacing of the script and the relationship between the written lines and the surrounding surface. What would you need to know before describing how the page was used?

Read the museum catalogue ↗

The Metropolitan Museum of Art · Gift of Rudolf M. Riefstahl, 1930 · Public Domain.

Manuscript study guide →

The courtyard as a space

This photograph shows the courtyard of the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus. It offers a view of an architectural space rather than a complete account of the building’s history.

Look at the relationship between open sky, covered edges and the routes a visitor might take. How do shade, scale and repetition influence the experience of the space?

Read the photograph record ↗

Wurzelgnohm · 2007 · Wikimedia Commons · CC0.

Architecture study guide →