Mosquée d'Omar à Jérusalem - Early photography, Public domain image

Islamic art refers to the visual arts that were produced in the Islamic world, which encompasses a vast geographical area stretching from Spain and North Africa in the west to Central Asia and India in the east. Islamic art is characterized by its focus on religious themes and its emphasis on the representation of spiritual truths. Islamic art is also known for its distinctive aesthetic features, including the use of calligraphy, geometric patterns, and arabesque designs. Islamic art covers a wide range of media, including architecture, painting, calligraphy, ceramics, and textiles. In the narrowest sense, the arts of the Islamic peoples might be said to include only those arising directly from the practice of Islam. More commonly, however, the term is extended to include all of the arts produced by Muslim peoples, whether connected with their religion or not. In this article, the subject includes the arts created in pre-Islamic times by Arabs and other peoples in Asia Minor and North Africa who eventually adopted the Islamic faith.

Maxime Du Camp was a French writer and photographer, born in Paris on 8 February 1822. He was the son of a wealthy family and received a good education, studying law and literature at the University of Paris. Du Camp was a prolific writer, producing novels, travelogues and essays. He was a member of the literary group known as the Parnassians, who emphasised the beauty of language and form in their works. In addition to his writing, Du Camp was also an accomplished photographer. He began taking photographs in the 1850s and his work focused on landscapes, architecture and people. He travelled extensively throughout Europe and the Middle East, documenting his travels with his camera. Du Camp's photographs were highly regarded for their technical skill and artistic composition. He exhibited his work at the Paris Universal Exhibition in 1867, where he won a gold medal for his photographs of Egypt. Du Camp died on 9 February 1894 in Baden-Baden, Germany. His legacy as a writer and photographer is still celebrated today.