Art Analysis: Zellij Panel - Essay Example

The famous Bahia Palace in Marrakech, Morocco incorporated polychrome mosaic with Zellij Panels on the walls of the palace. This piece originates from this palace as it was rescued during its abolishment. The name Bahia means brilliance. Bahia Palace got its name from the beautiful polychrome mosaic used to build it. Therefore, Zellij Panel is a beautiful piece of art, which adopts a design of star shapes, squares, and triangles (El Khatib-Boujibar web). Zellij Panel comprises blue and black lines that originate from the center and cross each other assuming star shapes, squares, and triangles. According to Khatib-Boujibar, Zellij Panel is a thin network of lines alternating between blue and black spread from a centerpiece. The network consists of 16-pointed stars surrounded by a black fillet to form a large cross shape delimited by black knotwork. On the inside, there is a myriad of small white twinkling stars (web). Another set of yellow lines joins the network outside the center making larger compositions and star motifs.

Analysis

Zellij Panelusese lines pass around an enclosed area in horizontal, vertical, diagonal, and curve shapes to create three-dimensional shapes. According to Getty Museum, “A line is an identifiable created by a point moving into space,” (web). These shapes express breadth, length, and depth. The shapes created by different lines create balance in the space, texture, and colors. The balance created is symmetrical since similar lines pass through every direction of the square. The central part has a radial balance and although some lines differ on the sides, symmetricalness is still achieved. The artist emphasized the central part by making it lighter than the other parts to depict the source of the lines flowing fruit. The artist uses color to capture movement and allow a viewer's eyes to take a stroll through the artwork. In addition, color depicts variety and attracts the viewer’s attention to the artwork. Repeated lines flowing from the center create patterns and unity in the object.

Reaction

Zellij Panel is a piece of beautiful art that portrays critical thinking. For a design to remain famous, this long means that the artist took time to create it. It inspires me as an audience to critically think and to be creative. The art presents a learning ground as the audience discusses the intention of the author in the art. Different persons will come out with diverse arguments about the meaning of the art, which makes it interesting to look at. The complexity of the lines inspires the audience to look keenly not to miss out on some fine details in the art. In conclusion, Zellij Panel is a beautiful piece of art, which explains why it was used to decorate the walls of the Bahia Palace. Many have adopted the art to make Moroccan tiles to recognize Moroccan art and architecture.