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Author: Skyler Bancroft
Introduction:
Introduction:
Persian calligraphy is the art of decorative handwriting or lettering in Persian languages, long used throughout the history of Iran. The art of calligraphy is considered a distinctive feature of Persian culture. Persian calligraphy dates to about 500-600 BC, appearing in inscriptions for Achaemenid kings. One such example is the Behistun Inscription located in Bisotun, Iran. The work itself dates to 520 BCE and showcases three forms of cuneiform text including Old Persian, Elamite, and Akkadian to relay the story of Darius’s feats. Calligraphy is present in various art forms such as manuscripts, paintings, architecture, ceramics, while also transcending through various dynasties and cultures. Persian calligraphy is still evident in contemporary works.
Resources:
Resources:
Calligraphy in Islamic Art, Victoria and Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, South
Kensington, London SW7 2RL. Telephone +44 (0)20 7942 2000. Email Vanda@Vam.ac.uk, 13 May 2013, www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/c/calligraphy-in-islamic-art/ (Links to an external site.).
The Victoria and Albert Museum’s website offers insight into the importance and development of calligraphy in Islamic Art. Written as part of the teacher’s source, Exploring calligraphy through the Jameel Gallery of Islamic Art, the article summarizes important topics in regard to the purpose and components of calligraphy. The work examines the types of text which appear in Islamic Art, the emergence of calligraphy in the Islamic world and its forms, and the materials employed. The article employs methods of analyzing the art form in relation to its historical context, as well as references to works which showcase the incorporation of calligraphy into various mediums.
Persian Calligraphy.” Expedition Magazine Persian Calligraphy Comments, Penn
Museum, 16 Mar. 1989, www.penn.museum/sites/expedition/persian-calligraphy/.
Author Ezat O. Negahban discusses Persian calligraphy featured at the Penn Museum website. The article provides brief summaries regarding the historical background of calligraphy including the various types of script in Persian culture. In addition, it discusses how calligraphy is utilized in modern times, specifically the introduction of calligraphy in Westernized school systems. The author concludes by dissecting the individualized and intricate components which make up the craft of calligraphy.
Bongianino, U. (2019). Islamic Calligraphy at a Standstill. Art History, 42(1), 203–206.
https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8365.12423
The above article by Umberto Bongianino, offers insight into the book By the Pen and What They Write: Writing in Islamic Art and Culture, edited by Sheila Blair and Johnathan Bloom. Umberto claims that calligraphy is a “hallmark” in Islamic art, continuing to discuss the essays and opinions of Blair and Robert Hoyland. Blair claims that Arabic calligraphy is less reliant on its legibility to perform its symbolic purpose. Hoyland surveys the development of Arabic writing as an inscription. By reading this article, it will provide a synopsis of the book, which explores the significance of Arabic writing in relation to art-historical research.
Yusofi, G. (1990, December 15). Encyclopædia Iranica. Retrieved November 30, 2020,
from https://iranicaonline.org/articles/calligraphy
Encyclopaedia Iranica provides an abundance of insight to the writing system of Persian calligraphy. The article describes the origins of script, the rules and principles of scripts, and the ornamentation of calligraphy completed through writing in pictorial formation. It continues discussing inscriptions, painting, and writing materials. Likewise, the article introduces calligraphy beyond Persia, in locations such as Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Turkey, and Central Asia. The end of the article provides a Bibliography with several more resources which relate to the topic of Persian calligraphy.
Greenberg, A. (2020, October 07). A calligrapher writes with light to keep tradition alive. Retrieved November 30, 2020, from https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/light-calligraphy-arabic-persian/
The article, “A calligrapher writes with light to keep tradition alive,” written by Alissa Greenberg, discusses contemporary artist Karim Jabbari who utilizes photography and light to form connections between enhanced reality and customary calligraphy. Based in Canada and the United States, Jabbari creates murals and graffiti art utilizing technology to introduce calligraphy to international audiences. The article describes how Parhami and Jabarri have been influenced by the resistance the received from their communities as well as a delay in technology. Jabbari creates light calligraphy through the use of long-exposure photographs and planned-out movements. He hopes his works will encourage those with traditional views to look at calligraphy through a new perspective while also reminding modern society of the significance of its roots.
The above image is one of the works of contemporary artist Karim Jabbari. The work depicts the combination of traditional calligraphy in a modern context, thus showcasing the importance of both the past and present.
Link: https://www.karimjabbari.com/light-painting
Link: https://www.karimjabbari.com/light-painting
Vosoughi, J. (2016). The examination of Persian calligraphy in publications of Qajar
period. International Journal of Humanities and Cultural Studies, ISSN 2356-5926, 1263-1271
The following article by Jalil Vosoughi examines publications from 1252 to 1344 during the Qajar period. The author distinguishes between printing methods of lithography and typography, as well as Nastaliq script in comparison to Naskh script. The data obtained from the study was collected from three-hundred and twenty-five Qajar newspapers. The results of the research demonstrated that 19.5 percent of total Qajar newspapers were printed in Nastaliq script, proving Nastaliq script was utilized more in text during the Qajar period as opposed to Naskh script. Researchers examined the text, date, type of print, and publication site of these sources to form conclusions about the visual and textual features of the newspaper.
Shahkolahi, F. (2018). The study of Mir Ali Tabrizi’s Orthography, Based on the version
of Khusra u Shirin by Nizami (Protected in Freer Gallery 808 A.H-1406 A.D). The Scientific Journal of NAZAR research center (Nrc) for Art, Architecture & Urbanism. Retrieved November 30, 2020, from https://doi.org/10.22034/bagh.2018.64260
The work written by Fatemeh Shahkolahi focuses on calligrapher Mir Ali ibn Hassan Tabrizi, a well-known calligrapher during the Timurid period and creator of Nastaliq script. Shahkolahi examines the system of spelling employed by Tabrizi based on his version of Nizami’s Khusraw u Shirin. The objective of the article is to offer insight into the standards and techniques employed by Tabrizi’s calligraphy, as well as the quality of Mir Ali’s writing. The formation of Mir Ali’s writing follows certain rules and can be described as sharp, short, with limited decorative movements. The information presented in the article is gathered from both written documents and observations.
Pouran Jinchi: Entropy | Bidoun. (2010). Bidoun. Retrieved November 30, 2020, from
https://www.bidoun.org/articles/pouran-jinchi
21st century artist Pouran Jinchi’s 2010 exhibition Entropy, is explored in the “Bidoun” article by Natasha Roje. Roje discusses Jinchi’s exploration of art and text together. Roje discusses the technique employed by Jinchi to depict the Farsi script. Roje explains to the reader that these works are not politically fueled, but rather, they work as a jumble of vocabulary without grammatical reinforcements. It is also mentioned that Jinchi combines modernity and traditional functions. Roje references some of Jinchi’s more politically fueled imagery towards the end of the article, concluding with commentary of Jinchi’s melding of aesthetics and concepts to create a voice for herself.
Additional source on Pouran Jinchi's work: http://www.leilahellergallery.com/attachment/en/5570913907a72ca707c6918d/Publication/562e7db4c4aa2c4d6adf3ede
The image on the left is a selection from the Shahnameh. The work was copied in 1618 in Iran. The text is written in Persian Nasta’liq style, which is considered one of the oldest and most respected style of Persian calligraphy. The image on the left showcases a battle.
(Ferdowsi), H. (2014, March 27). A Thousand Years of the Persian Book the Epic of Shahnameh. Retrieved December 05, 2020, from https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/thousand-years-of-the-persian-book/epic-of-shahnameh.html
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