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Essay from the year 2010 in the subject Orientalism / Sinology - Arabistic, grade: 1,0, course: Historia y Cultura Árabo Islámica, language: English, abstract: In this Essay I will give a general overview of the development of Arabic Calligraphy from its beginning till today. The reader will soon learn that the evolution of this elaborate and complex art was always closely linked to great personalities. Artists that, in its early times, formed and systematized this art, later brought it to its peaks and in the last centuries revised and modernized it. Writing about the History of Calligraphy will therefor be writing about a line of persons that, step by step, on succeeded by another, defined Arabic calligraphy in their time and, in its whole, brought it to where it is today. As Calligraphy is the art of elaborated writing it is of course closely linked to script and language. The Arabic language developed already before the coming of Islam1, but Arabic calligraphy as an art with different styles, uses and a certain place in society, was a phenomena that appeared in the time of the first great empires. That is why I will focus on the development in and after this times. That means I'm not gonna investigate preislamic Arabic calligraphy or look at the development of the Arabic language and its aesthetic aspects (fields that would provide enough material for interesting researches for its own). As the art I will write about has been performed for many centuries and in a great extend, there are many old and new works in display around the work. In the appendix some of them will be shown, to give examples and make this essay a little more than just a historical investigation.
Essay from the year 2010 in the subject Orientalism / Sinology - Arabistic, grade: 1,0, , course: Historia y Cultura Árabo Islámica, language: English, abstract: In this Essay I will give a general overview of the development of Arabic Calligraphy from its beginning till today. The reader will soon learn that the evolution of this elaborate and complex art was always closely linked to great personalities. Artists that, in its early times, formed and systematized this art, later brought it to its peaks and in the last centuries revised and modernized it. Writing about the History of Calligraphy will therefor be writing about a line of persons that, step by step, on succeeded by another, defined Arabic calligraphy in their time and, in its whole, brought it to where it is today. As Calligraphy is the art of elaborated writing it is of course closely linked to script and language. The Arabic language developed already before the coming of Islam1, but Arabic calligraphy as an art with different styles, uses and a certain place in society, was a phenomena that appeared in the time of the first great empires. That is why I will focus on the development in and after this times. That means I'm not gonna investigate preislamic Arabic calligraphy or look at the development of the Arabic language and its aesthetic aspects (fields that would provide enough material for interesting researches for its own). As the art I will write about has been performed for many centuries and in a great extend, there are many old and new works in display around the work. In the appendix some of them will be shown, to give examples and make this essay a little more than just a historical investigation.
No civilization has revered the Word more deeply than Islam, and in none has calligraphy become so major and universal an art form. This superbly illustrated book, which includes examples of the work of many of the most famous calligraphers of all time, is the first to allow the reader to follow calligraphy from its origins in pre-Islamic times, through its reform with the invention of the strict rules which make it so disciplined an art and which led to its periods of greatest flowering, right up tot he innovations of the present century. But writing is not confined to the pen, inscriptions appear virtually everywhere--on furniture and textiles, on metalware and ceramics, and most strikingly of all, on buildings. The breadth of approach of text and illustrations makes this a book of equal interest to the Westerner and the Muslim, the traveller and the museum visitor, the student and the artist. -- Back cover
The first-ever book-length history of Arab graphic design PROSE AWARD WINNER, ART HISTORY & CRITICISM Arab graphic design emerged in the early twentieth century out of a need to influence, and give expression to, the far-reaching economic, social, and political changes that were taking place in the Arab world at the time. But graphic design as a formally recognized genre of visual art only came into its own in the region in the twenty-first century and, to date, there has been no published study on the subject to speak of. A History of Arab Graphic Design traces the people and events that were integral to the shaping of a field of graphic design in the Arab world. Examining the work of over eighty key designers from Morocco to Iraq, and covering the period from pre-1900 to the end of the twentieth century, Bahia Shehab and Haytham Nawar chart the development of design in the region, beginning with Islamic art and Arabic calligraphy, and their impact on Arab visual culture, through to the digital revolution and the arrival of the Internet. They look at how cinema, economic prosperity, and political and cultural events gave birth to and shaped the founders of Arab graphic design. Highlighting the work of key designers and stunningly illustrated with over 600 color images, A History of Arab Graphic Design is an invaluable resource tool for graphic designers, one which, it is hoped, will place Arab visual culture and design on the map of a thriving international design discourse.
This fascinating guide to the Arabic alphabet and writing styles also offers an ample and thorough overview of a culture and a civilization. This enlightening book helps us discover an alphabet that throughout the centuries has been linked to the secular and religious worlds of Islam. The text explains the history and meaning of each letter, as well as its philosophical, theological, and cultural significance, and 300 two-color and black-and-white pictures illustrate the letters, their variants, and calligraphic adaptations. An ideal book for linguists, graphic designers, and collectors of Islamic art, Arabic Script will also prove handy for travelers who wish to become familiar with the rudiments of the alphabet. One of the world’s major forms of writing, Arabic script is the language of the Koran and became widespread as a result of Islamic conquests of much of the world. The Koran places great importance on writing, and in the first verse of the holy book, reading and writing with the calamus, or reed pen, are praised as the source of all knowledge and all spiritual or scientific paths of change. For this reason the Islamic world is known for its reverence for books, as well as its love of writing. Eventually Arabic script gave rise to calligraphic art, which became an art form of astonishing beauty. More highly regarded than painting, Arabic calligraphy is approached aesthetically, like music, with its own rules of composition, rhythm, and harmony.
Joint Winner of the 2007 British-Kuwait Friendship Society Prize for Middle Eastern StudiesThis stunning book is an important contribution to a key area of non-western art, being the first reference work on the art of beautiful writing in Arabic script.The extensive use of writing is a hallmark of Islamic civilization. Calligraphy, the art of beautiful writing, became one of the main methods of artistic expression from the seventh century to the present in almost all regions from the far Maghrib, or Islamic West, to India and beyond. Arabic script was adopted for other languages from Persian and Turkish to Kanembu and Malay. Sheila S. Blair's groundbreaking book explains this art form to modern readers and shows them how to identify, understand and appreciate its varied styles and modes. The book is designed to offer a standardized terminology for identifying and describing various styles of Islamic calligraphy and to help Westerners appreciate why calligraphy has long been so important in Islamic civilization.The argument is enhanced by the inclusion of more than 150 colour illustrations, as well as over a hundred black-and-white details that highlight the salient features of the individual scripts and hands. Examples are chosen from dated or datable examples with secure provenance, for the problem of forgeries and copies (both medieval and modern) is rampant. The illustrations are accompanied by detailed analyses telling the reader what to look for in determining both style and quality of script.This beautiful new book is an ideal reference for anyone with an interest in Islamic art.Key Features* Written by the world's leading expert on Islamic calligraphy* Includes c.150 colour illustrations* Comprehensive: covers the art of calligraphy throughout Islamic civilisation, from the 7thc. to the present* The first volume to explain this art form to modern readers, guiding them in the identification, understanding and appreciation of its varied style
A fully illustrated, landmark study of Islamic calligraphy traced back to its deepest historical and cultural roots • Explores the sacred geometry of each letter form of the Arabic alphabet as attributed to renowned 10th-century scribe Ibn Muqla • Traces Ibn Muqla’s system to the cross-cultural encounter between Greek learning and the scientific, artistic, and philosophical pursuits of classical Islam • A richly illustrated, two-volume presentation of decades of research with more than 430 full-color illustrations Calligraphy is the central visual art of Islam. At its core resides a perennial challenge: What letter shapes traced by human hands are rightful bearers of the divine message? The answer lies in the “Proportioned Script” of Ibn Muqla, renowned scribe, man of letters, and minister under the great Abbasid Caliphate in 10th-century Baghdad. Emphasizing harmony and geometry, Ibn Muqla’s system has governed the practice of Arabic scribal art up to the present day. In this two-volume, richly illustrated study, Ahmed Moustafa and Stefan Sperl analyze each letter form of Ibn Muqla’s perfected penmanship and share their decades of research on Islamic letter shapes, revealing the history, linguistics, philosophy, theology, and sacred geometry that underlie this spiritual art form. In volume one the authors reveal the trilogy of prophecy, penmanship, and geometry at the foundation of Ibn Muqla’s Proportioned Script. Providing a fully illustrated analysis of Islamic calligraphy’s geometrical principles as transmitted in surviving writings and key manuscript sources, they examine the geometric grid of square, circle, and hexagon that informs the pen strokes of each letter shape and explore how the golden ratio appears within the matrix of the grid. They examine the development of Ibn Muqla’s system in the context of the sciences, arts, and penmanship of 10th-century Baghdad and trace its origins to the cross-cultural encounter between Greek learning and the scientific, artistic, and philosophical pursuits of classical Islam. In volume two the authors analyze the calligraphic forms of each letter of the Arabic alphabet. They decode the sacred geometry of each form as it appears within the geometric grid, providing letter samples from ancient sources. Unearthing the theoretical and scientific foundations of Arabic calligraphy, this landmark study examines the aesthetic implications of Ibn Muqla’s theory for the visual, verbal, and aural arts of Islam as well as the Islamic mystical tradition.
A gorgeous visual history of Arabic calligraphy This publication highlights the stages of the Arabic script's development since its very beginnings and the artistic relationship between calligraphy, contemporary art and artificial intelligence through an exceptional journey of knowledge, featuring Saudi and international master calligraphers, contemporary artists and designers.
A comprehensive textbook of the early Arabic Kufic script, written as a complete reference book for calligraphers, designers, and students of art history and the history of Arabic language and scripts. This beautiful and powerful script was derived from the earlier Hijazi Mashq style of Mecca and Medina, which was invented by early Muslim scribes to record the Quran. Today, the many historical manuscripts displayed in numerous museums around the world can attest to development and evolution of this remarkable and versatile script. Authored by master calligrapher, Mousavi Jazayeri, this book is the only book written in English that is solely dedicated to the study, learning and revival of the fascinating script behind the first mature Arabic calligraphic style, which was the official script of the Islamic Near East for centuries, before being replaced by the modern Naskh style. In this handbook, Mousavi Jazayeri who had discovered the lost art of cutting the qalam (pen) for early Kufic more than twenty years ago, explains with detailed, clear illustrations how to write early Kufic using a calligraphic pen and even a regular pen. He guides students patiently through the process involved in creating amazing, modern monograms. With clear, ample examples taken from the old Quranic manuscripts, art history students, font designers, and scholars of the history of the Arabic language and scripts can use this reference book to learn the key aspects of the early Kufic script as a writing system. Mr. Mousavi Jazayeri is joined by two co-authors, Perette E. Michelli, a multi-disciplinary historian of medieval and later art, and Saad D. Abulhab, a known Arabic type designer and independent scholar of the history of Arabic language and scripts. The two co-authors are members of the first international group dedicated to the study and revival of the early Kufic script, Kuficpedia, which was formed a few years ago around the historical achievements of Mr. Mousavi.