Craftsmanship in Literature and Literary Craftsmanship in 9th Century Baghdad

Ibn Abī ʿAwn’s (d. 322/934) Kitāb al-tašbīhāt [The Book of Similes] as a Case Study

Datos Bibliográficos

ID21655211
AutoresChiara Fontana (0000-0001-9846-4222, Assistant Professor of Arabic Literature and Philology, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, autor de correspondencia)
Año2025
Volumen20
Número1-2
Páginas160-198
Fecha de publicación2025-06-27
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessNo
TipoARTICLE
RevistaQuaderni di Studi Arabi (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1121-2306 • E-ISSN: 2667-016X
EditorialWalter de Gruyter GmbH (PUBLISHER • DE)
DOI10.1163/2667016x-20010224
OpenAlexW4411758775
IdiomaEN
Referencias citadas13

Early rhetorical treatises serve as testing grounds for emerging aesthetic concepts tied to specific socio-cultural contexts and also influence readers’ literary preferences. The overlooked Kitāb al-Tašbīhāt by Ibn Abī ʿAwn (d. 322/934) is a significant example of this dynamic and invites reflection on the evolution of balāġa during the Arabic-Islamic classical period, particularly in response to urbanization. This study, while providing an overview of the cultural growth of 9th-century Baghdad, explores two main research axes. First, it delves into how craftsmanship was terminologically and thematically used as a source of inspiration within rhetorical treatises like Ibn Abī ʿAwn’s. Second, it uncovers the indirect influence of an urbanized milieu, with its sophisticated grasp of craft techniques, on what could best be defined as literary craftsmanship . This refers to the methodologically inspired development of a contextually based, conscious, and revolutionary literary ability that enabled Abbasid authors not only to explore, analyze, and employ their own languages and literary traditions as powerful tools, but also to reflect on new literary styles, models, and perspectives whilst harmonizing a secular, progress-driven mentality with more unorthodox forms of critical thinking

Arabic · Arabic literature · Art · Linguistics · Literature · Archaeology and Historical Studies · Eurasian Exchange Networks · History · Islamic Studies and History · Philosophy