Actually, prohibitions on figurative art rose well before that, and of course, depicting Mohammed would be figurative art. The various cultures overrun by Islam genearally continued to function semi-normally for about 100 years, and then finally Islam shut off all art, science and political life in those countries. Early Islamic buildings in Spain have figurative art - depictions of people, animals, etc. And then suddenly there is nothing, as Islam becomes more consolidated and the iconoclast leaders extend their influence.
Iconoclasm, btw, was a problem before that in certain Christian areas, particularly with the rise of monasticism in Egypt. People wanted a "purer" form of Christianity, and for some reason, that seems to mean doing away with art. However, it was after Islam (in the 8th and 9th centuries) that the Iconoclast movement really took off in the Christian church. It was finally defeated, but it was obviously the direct influence of Islam, which itself was becoming more and more anti-iconographic.
I'm well aware of that. The point of the article has to do with some of the common features of "heresies"...
Iconoclasm, btw, was a problem before that in certain Christian areas, particularly with the rise of monasticism in Egypt. People wanted a "purer" form of Christianity, and for some reason, that seems to mean doing away with art. However, it was after Islam (in the 8th and 9th centuries) that the Iconoclast movement really took off in the Christian church. It was finally defeated, but it was obviously the direct influence of Islam, which itself was becoming more and more anti-iconographic.
What is the extent & nature of early Jewish religious art? Lot of icons in Judaism?