- An Insight Look At The Beauty Of Arabic Calligraphy
- Dec 17, 2020


by Virtosu Art Gallery
Dec 17, 2020An Insight Look At The Beauty Of Arabic Calligraphy

The Art Of Calligraphy
In every civilization, art has always been one of the common and the most important element. From the Early Egyptian to Roman, Indian to Byzantine, and even until the modern period, every civilization has valued art in various forms, be it abstract or contemporary art. Islamic art has always been known for its distinguishing and diverse style. Alongside its strong association with the Holy Quran, one of the main reasons for the rise of Arabic calligraphy was the prohibition of sculpting and painting. Since figurative art has always been prohibited in Islam, this resulted in a strong association of the Muslims with their holy language, eventually becoming the primary source of their artistic expression.Evolution Of Arabic Calligraphy Script
The script of Arabic calligraphy has different forms that range from diverse periods to discrete lands. In the earlier days, Arabic calligraphy was minimalistic and straightforward compared to the later development in its script forms. There are two reasons for this development in the Arabic script forms. The first was the expansion of Islamic civilization, covering large areas of the earth. The second reason was the urge and interest to communicate across these vast areas of the Islamic civilization. This resulted in the emergence of different Arabic scripts.Kufic Script
The Kufic script is one of the oldest Arabic scripts, which was developed over the 7th century. It played an essential role in documenting the Holy Quran. The Kufic script, in its earlier stages of development, lacked the dots and accents that are now a part of modern calligraphy.
Thuluth Script
The meaning of “Thuluth” is one-third, which refers to the size of the pen, which was used to write this script. First developed during the Abbasid dynasty in the 11th century, Thuluth was one of the scripts used to decorate mosques and other religious places.
Naskh Script
Naskh means “to copy.” This script was used to copy the Holy Quran. It was also developed during the Abbasid dynasty in the 10th century. Due to its easy readability, the Naskh script was used for transcribing books, including the Holy Quran and in administrative court documents. Thus, Ibn e Muqla standardized Naskh as one of the primary six scripts of the Arabic calligraphy in the 10th century.
Taliq Script
Developed during the 11th century and reformed during the 13th century in Persia during the Safavid dynasty, Taliq script was used for writing books, messages, letters, and poems. The meaning of the word Taliq is suspension, which was inspired by the script line’s shape, which looks hung together. This script is a pure work of art.
Nasta’liq Script
Developed during the 15th century in Persia and Turkey, the Nasta’liq script is a refined version of the Taliq script, having elements of Nashkh. The Nastaliq script letters are a little hooked, like those of the Taliq script, having a varied thickness. Nastaliq script has the characteristics of both, Taliq and Nashkh script.
Diwani Script
Diwani script was developed in the 16th century and reached its height of popularity in the 19th century, under the reign of Suleman I, the tenth ruler of the Ottoman empire. It was used to write official documents, such as decrees, resolutions, and endowments.
Reason For Popularity Of Arabic Calligraphy
By far, the main reason for the popularity of Islamic calligraphy is its symmetry. Having a perfect balance of dots, edges, curves, and points, the Arabic lettering and script make up the design's perfect component. Since it can be fitted into a wide variety of shapes, forms, and designs, it provides a space for creativity and originality to bloom on canvas.In A Nutshell
Like in the past era, Arabic calligraphy is still one of the most widely acknowledged forms of art. It serves as a means of communication between nations and religions. Having developed for over 14 centuries in various regions around the world, the letters, style, and script of Arabic calligraphy are continuing to develop, depending on the modern era's versatility. The modern is contributing to the art form, just like the traditional scripts have done.
About author
Claudia Jeffrey is a senior research analyst & lifestyle blogger at Dissertation Assistance. She has shared many of her articles online to help entrepreneurs promote their business, has a passion for helping people, and brings a change in their lives through her words. During her free time, she likes to delve into pop culture from across the planet.