7 The Transcendent Image
Thefield of Islamic art history grew in tandem with European access to the
material culture of regions of Islamic hegemony (and much of the rest of
the colonized world). It categorized, identified, authenticated, and evalu-
ated collected objects often incongruous with existing categories of high
art. Although aiming to familiarize the plenitude of culture, this enterprise
often transposes objects communicating within local discursive networks
onto a system of knowledge rooted in Europe. Such transposition depletes
culture by sifting and appropriating only what it recognizes. Perceptual
culture becomes translated into art.
What is lost in translation? Stories about images in theological and
literary discourses provide insight into how people thought about images.
Unlike real objects, these imaginary images cannot function as commod-
ities. They reflect neither fungible investment nor cultural capital. Images
proliferate not before the eyes, but through words leaping and diving
between texts, through languages, and across time. As transformative
narrative elements, these images reflect magical more than sinful associa-
tions with visual representation. Rather than permanence, they acquire the
fleeting sensory qualities, such as smell and touch, to which poetic descrip-
tions of beauty often appeal.^1 This chapter examines images that transcend
materiality, either by dematerializing or by never materializing at all.7.1 The Image as Proof
Many stories use the trope of disappearing images to prove identity. Rather
than thinking of images as things that might be collected or worshiped,
these stories consider the image as evidence within the strategic arsenal of a
wise ruler. The earliest use of the tale appears Pseudo-Callisthenes’
Alexander romance (seeChapter 1.1). It relates that Queen Candace of
Meroe commissions a Greek artist to secretly paint Alexander’s portrait as
she pays him tribute. However, she denies him a visit to her kingdom. A(^1841) Shortle,2018: 23.