The Splendour of Islamic calligraphy

Author(s)

Bibliographic Information

The Splendour of Islamic calligraphy

Abdelkebir Khatibi, Mohammed Sijelmass ; [translated from the French by James Hughes ; additional material included in the revised French edition translated by E.J. Emory]

Thames and Hudson, 1995

rev. ed

Available at  / 4 libraries

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Note

Bibliography: p. 237-238

Description and Table of Contents

Description

Calligraphy, the art which combines visual image and written word, is perhaps at its most brilliant in the arts of Islam. This is clearly evident on the pages of this book, widely acclaimed on first publication as the most sumptuous and beautiful study ever produced on the subject. Now available again, it combines numerous illustrations of Arabic scripts with an informative background history and a thorough analysis of the geometrical and ornamental principles involved in the calligraphic art.

Table of Contents

  • Tracing the origins: legend and epigraphy
  • myths of origin
  • tawqaf and istillah
  • epigraphical confusions. The proportions of the line: the alif module
  • the geometric interplay
  • colour
  • miniature and arabesque
  • the pen. Schools and styles: typology
  • meaning and the written word
  • diacritical signs
  • kufic and naskhi
  • ibn Muqla
  • ibn al-Bawweb
  • calligraphy and history. Symbolism of the page: the spell of the face
  • jafr, or the science of letters
  • futuhat, or isolated letters
  • the bismillah
  • the margin
  • the signature. In the sight of Allah: a delicate vibration
  • ornamentation of buildings. The architectural context: landmarks
  • styles. Contemporary painting: zenderoudi
  • koraishi
  • boullata.

by "Nielsen BookData"

Details

  • NCID
    BA27247336
  • ISBN
    • 0500016755
  • Country Code
    uk
  • Title Language Code
    eng
  • Text Language Code
    eng
  • Place of Publication
    London
  • Pages/Volumes
    239 p.
  • Size
    30 cm
  • Classification
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