A Short History of Arabic Calligraphy | Blog
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Calligraphy is among the world's most ancient and revered artistic kinds. It is widely practised across various parts of the globe. there is a growing awareness and appreciation of calligraphy has diminished, however in Arabic culture, this over two thousand years old art form is still as popular and revered in the same way as it was. In a time in our world, where the heavy use of words seems to decrease the importance of words Arabic calligraphy is a powerful and attractive contrast making writing as well as the written word as sacred objects.
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- The idea behind HTML0 is Arabic Calligraphy
- Development of Arabic Calligraphy
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- Modern Arabic Calligraphy
The origins are derived from Arabic Calligraphy
Traditionally, Arabic tribes preferred to record poetry and other texts and then pass them on through generations. However, this changed with the advent of Islam along with the significance of keeping the Quran in its original form. In this article we will discuss the history of Arabic calligraphy and script.
The Spread of Islam
Before the spread of Islam and the expansion of Islam, there was a time in which there was a time when the Arabian Peninsula was home to many ancient Semitic languages. the discovery of calligraphic artifacts from these older languages show that calligraphy was a skill that was practiced long before Islam. The past was when Persia was one of them. used cuneiform for adorning the monuments of the Kings between the years 600 and 500 B.C.1 However, it was the spread of Islam which brought in an age of calligraphy across the early Middle East because of how it brought all of the Middle East within the framework of the Arabic language , in addition to the esteem given to the art of writing.
HTML0 The Golden Age of Arabic Calligraphy
Arabic calligraphy's initial development wasn't a straight line. Numerous scripts changed in popularity throughout places as distant as Damascus, Baghdad, Morocco, and Spain.2 Kufic, which was named in honor of cities like Kufah in Iraq is the first script that was universally accepted that governed Arabic calligraphy from seventy-eighth century. to the 11thcentury, but it was primitive and non-organized, in particular in relation to the systematic process that which it would later be subject to through all of the "Golden period" in calligraphy. The process began about 1000 B.C. and continued until the middle of the 13th century.
In 762, in 762, the Abbasid Caliph Mansur began to build a glorious new capital city for his vast empire. It was the result Baghdad which was a carefully constructed and magnificently walled city that was set on the Tigris river. Baghdad quickly became an important centre for culture of in the Middle East. It would also become an ideal spot to witness the most significant advancement in Arabic calligraphy. The "Golden Age" was the most well-known period of Arabic calligraphy. It is typically described through a sequence of three famous calligraphers. Ibn Muqla (886-940), Ibn al-Bawwab (believed to be between 961 and 1022) as well as Yakut al-Musta'simi who was originally from Amasya (d. 1298).
Visier Ibn Muqla
Visier Ibn Muqla is famous for formulating the fundamentals of calligraphy. This includes his theory of proportion that calligraphers employ up to today. The theory of proportion that he developed established the rhomboid dots and the length of the alif strokes as the principal measurement units to determine the amount of letters in a particular script.
In the theory of Ibn Mukla's proportion, the alif's size is determined by the seven Rhomboids. A circumference is determined by taking the length of the alif. The additional characters can be calculated on the basis of this circumference.
Ibn al-Bawwab
Ibn Muqla was followed by Ibn al-Bawwab, who refined the scripts of Muqla. It is believed that he developed the cursive scripts utilized by Rayhani and Muhaqqaq. Ibn al-Bawwab is also known for having preserved some manuscripts of Muqla's right at the start, but unfortunately, they have not been preserved until today.
Yaqut al Musta'simi
The most famous third calligrapher of the Golden Age, Yaqut al Musta'simi was a scribe in the royal court. He continued to refine the method of measuring proportional to size and started cutting the nibs of his pen at an angle. It was a tiny alteration that transformed the design and technique for Arabic calligraphy. Yakut lived through the Mongol baghdad bags. Baghdad is thought to be hiding in a minaret where the mongol remained at work on his job and the town below was destroyed.
Three calligraphers of in the past are the most well-known however, countless others studied with these masters, most notably, several women who achieved notoriety because of their skills. All of these artists throughout their careers during the Golden Age yielded the six primary scripts: sulus muhakkak and reyhani, tevki, and the rika.
Islam was spreading quickly. The conversion of Ghazan who was the leader of the Mongol Empire and Muslim Mughal and Mamluk the families of India and Egypt and, finally finally, the Ottoman Empire All of them helped to push the spread of Islam and along with it, Arabic calligraphy to further regions across the globe. Every new empire and civilisation, the art called Arabic calligraphy was progressively evolved and developed by the skill of those who took the practice. In the present, a variety of scripts in calligraphy has become part of the rich tradition of Arabic calligraphy, which continues to be passed along.
Evolution of Arabic Calligraphy
In addition to the spread of Arabic calligraphy throughout the world, it has also evolved into the principal uses. In the beginning, Arabic calligraphy was a instrument for communication and to protect the message of God through the Quran. However, over time it became an integral part of the architectural design decoration, ornaments, and eventually designs for coins.
In addition, Arabic calligraphy also evolved through time and evolved into two distinct families: Kufic and rounded scripts.
Kufic
The very early Arabic script was never utilized, due to the oral culture's centuries-old tradition. However, when the Quran was needed to be preserved when the world began spreading Islam and Islam, the Arabic language was made more important. That's why the Quran was created to be beautiful. The Quran's script is known as Kufic.
There are a variety of kinds that make up Kufic and, overall it's characterized by angular, rectilinear typeforms along with the horizontal orientation.
Round scripts
As Kufic began to be the norm for holy documents, there was a demand for a script that could be written faster and more suitable for documents that were smaller in size, like letters. These kinds of scripts are now referred to as round scripts. are considered formal. If you want to be formal, round scripts must not appear as if the writer was a person who wrote it. There is little to no possibility of artistic expression in writing in this type of styles.
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HTML1 Tools used for Arabic Calligraphy
Qalam Pen
The most common pen that is used to write Arabic calligraphy is known as the Qalam pen. This pen is created out of a dried, cut Reed. It is thought to be an omen of wisdom in Islam.
Khamish Pen
It is also known as a category of reed pen Khamish pen pen is mostly used to write calligraphy by Arab, Turkish, and Iranian calligraphers. It is made from reeds that grow along rivers but it requires a long drying before it can be ready to be used as a calligraphy tool.
Bamboo Pen
Bamboo pen is one of the oldest instruments used to calligraphe worldwide. Bamboo is the most suitable basis for Arabic calligraphy since its rigid edge allows calligraphers to experience the full spectrum of pen motion, yet bamboo also offers a great deal of flexibility.
Java Pen
Java Pens are a kind that is a type that is a part of Javanese thorngrass. They're renowned for their rigidity and ability to make sharp edges on letters. This kind of pen is suitable for writing small scripts.
Handam Pen
One of the most adaptable pens suitable to write Arabic calligraphy The Handam pen is offered in various sizes, from a large 10mm model to a sub-1 mm micro nib. It's perfect for all kinds of scripts. Additionally, it's a durable pen: you don't need to sharpen or trim the pen as often as the case with Khamish pen. Khamish pen.
Celi Pen
This Celi pen was designed for use in huge-scale Arabic calligraphy. The nibs are constructed of bamboo and include reservoirs to store ink.
Ahar Paper
Although a variety of paper are appropriate to be used for Arabic calligraphy, there's one kind of paper specifically designed for the calligraphy art. The paper, called Ahar, is created by hand in central India. The paper is coated with an amalgamation of starch, and a sizing that is made of egg whites as well as alum. This glossy coating stops the ink from entering the paper, instead the ink is sat over the coating. This allows the calligraphers erase, and even make corrections.
HTML1 Ink
Traditional Arabic inks for calligraphy are water-soluble and is soot-based. Therefore, you can remove any mistakes using a moist cloth. Black is the most well-known color of ink, many colours of ink can be found and extensively employed.
Modern Arabic Calligraphy
Even though Arabic calligraphy is firmly rooted in the past, it also serves as an inspiration source for modern art. Indeed, numerous modern artists have created their own styles and methods for Arabic calligraphy. Contemporary artists can put their own twist on classic forms of writing and art by including calligraphy in the design of jewelry or digital art, or painting on canvas rather as the conventional method of paint on paper.
Discover Modern Arabic Calligraphy
There are two main approaches to mastering Arabic calligraphy.
First, there is the old-fashioned techniquethat is precise but time-intensive. In the past, Arabic calligraphy is an art which is handed down over generations. It is usually taught in person meetings with the teacher and student.4
Much of this kind of instruction is based on imitation and observation. The student watches the teacher's exact movements and methods over time and then learns how to perform the same movements. Furthermore, aside from the face-to-face time, the student will generally practice at home over prolonged periods, and then bring those practice sheets to the instructor to go over and improve. This process may last for many years.
Arabic calligraphy is deeply rooted in tradition, and it is a process that can take time to learn. However, if you're keen to explore this art form, there are ways to incorporate the art into your daily life in a modern way.
Have a go at Give it a go.
Introduction to Modern Script Calligraphy with Bryn Chernoff
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