‘alif ’
THE STORY OF writing and the muslims
A TALK & WORKSHOP AT THE AGA KHAN MUSEUM, TORONTO
AUGUST 12, 2016 ALL MATERIAL © SHEERAZWANIA Presentaion based on the gallery collection of the Aga khan museum. toronto
sheerazwania.com sheerazwania@me.com
Opposite Page : Quote by Pablo Picasso Leaf with Calligraphic Composition, Turkey, 1800s, 13.5 x 28 cm
‘ If I had known there was such a thing as Islamic Calligraphy,
I would never have started to paint.’
Tile Panel, Central Asia, 56 x 39 cm, 14th century
Dish, Iznik, Turkey, Diameter 34.3 cm, height 7.4 cm, 1570–80
ARABESQUE PATTERNS [FLORA & FAUNA]
GEOMETRY
ARTS OF THE MUSLIM CIVILIZATION
FIGURATIVE FORMS
Firdausi and the three court poets of Ghazna, folio from Shahnameh (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp I Tabriz, Iran, 47 x 31.8 cm, 1532
CALLIGRAPHY
Qur’an leaf, Near East or Iran, 14.9 x 20.9 cm, 900s
‘Where there are Muslims, there is calligraphy.’
Mohammad Zakaria
Qur’an folio India, about 1400
Qur’an folio Valencia, Spain, about 1200
Qur’an Folio Iran, mid-12th century
THE DYNAMICS OF LANGUAGE EVOLUTION
THE ‘ALIF’ MODULE
Metaphorically, its slim straight stroke stands for a straight virtuous path, unity and uniqueness of Allah.
SYSTEMS AND GUIDELINES
Pen Box, Iran, 26.8 cm, 1863–1865 Papier-mâché, paint, and varnish
Pen Box, Northwest Iran 9.4 x 4.5 cm, 1300 Bronze, gold and silver inlay
COLOUR
Inkwell, Iran, 1200, Bronze
SCHOOLS & STYLES [typology]
KUFIC
Bowl with kufic script Neshapur Iran, 10th century Earthenware, underglaze slip-painted
Dish Northeast Iran 10th century Earthenware, underglaze slip-painted. Funerary stele Egypt or North Africa, 10th century Marble, carved.
Folio from the ‘Blue’ Qur’an, 9th-10th century. Ink, opaque watercolor, silver (now oxidized) and gold on blue-dyed parchment.
THULUTH
Tile, Iznik Turkey, 16th century, Underglazed,panted fritware
Double folio from a Qur’an possibly Yemen, about 1300–1350 Opaque watercolour, gold, ink, paper
Bowl Egypt or Syria, 1293–1341 Brass inlaid with silver
NASKH
Beam Syria , 1100s–1200s 11.2 x 122 cm Wood, carved
Page of Calligraphic Exercise Turkey, 17th century Ink and gold on paper
Manuscript of a Qur’an India , 1681 Opaque watercolour, gold, ink, paper
BIHARI SCRIPT [India]
Qur’an folio India about 1400 Opaque watercolour, gold, black on paper
The Maghribi [North AfricA]
Qur’an folio Valencia, Spain about 1200
NASTA’LIQ
Manuscript of Khamsa (Quintet) of Nizami Shiraz, Iran, 1527 Opaque watercolour, gold, ink, paper
Beggar’s Bowl (Kashkul) Iran, Length 61 cm late 16th century, Brass
DIWANI
Leaf with Calligraphic Composition Turkey, Â 1800s 13.5 x 28 cm
THE TUGRA
[ROYAL SIGNATURE/CALLIGRAM]
Tughra (Official Signature) of Sultan Süleiman the Magnificent (r. 1520–66)
CONTEMPORARY IRANIAN CALLIGRAPHY
Aghighi Bakhshayeshi (born in Qom in 1968)
KASHYA HILDEBRAND - Zurich
MOMAYYEZ, Morteżā (b. Tehran, August 1936; d. Tehran, November 2005)
MOMAYYEZ, Morteżā (b. Tehran, August 1936; d. Tehran, November 2005)
WORKING IMAGES FROM THE WORKSHOP
SOME TUGRAS CREATED BY PARTCIPANTS
REFERENCES: http://blog.29lt.com/2007/07/17/arabic-glyphs-proportions-andguidlines www.agakhanmuseum.org http://www.smashingmagazine.com http://www.metmuseum.org http://www.iranicaonline.org http://www.arabiccalligraphy.com http://www.graphicdesign.com/article/arabic-calligraphy-in-design http://islamic-arts.org/2012/the-qur’an http://www.sakkal.com/ArtArabicCalligraphy.html