Imaging the Cosmos: Adapting Ibn al-ʿArabī’s Cosmographical Diagrams to Digital Media

This article spotlights an animated digital rendering of medieval illustrations of the cosmos by the Sufi scholar Ibn al-ʿArabī (d. 638/1240). It briefly explains the series of illustrations, the difficulties of their transmission history, and why they are well-suited for digital adaptation. It focuses on how the medieval author couched his images in an acknowledgment of the limits of his medium, remarking that he wished he could make it more clear. It then shows how an animated website offers new dimensions for reimagining the images while remaining faithful to the original intent of the author. It encourages further creative engagements with the visual traditions of the Islamicate world in order to furnish new perspectives on its past and present.