Islamic Calligraphy

Joint Winner of the 2007 British–Kuwait Friendship Society Prize for Middle Eastern Studies

Winner of 2008 World Prize for Book of the Year by the Iranian Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance

Selected as a 2007 CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title

• A groundbreaking contribution to a key area of non-western art: the first reference work on the art of beautiful writing in Arabic script
• Lavishly illustrated with over 150 colour photographs and over 100 b+w details highlighting salient features of the images
• Illustrations are accompanied by detailed analyses telling the reader what to look for in determining both style and quality of script

The extensive use of writing is a hallmark of Islamic civilization. Calligraphy became one of the main methods of artistic expression from the seventh century to the present in almost all regions from the far Maghrib to India and beyond. Arabic script was adopted for other languages from Persian and Turkish to Kanembu and Malay.

Islamic Calligraphy explains this art form to modern readers and shows them how to identify, understand and appreciate its varied styles and modes. Designed to offer a standardized terminology for identifying and describing various styles of Islamic calligraphy, it aims to help Westerners appreciate why calligraphy has long been so important in Islamic civilization.