Islamic Art: The Beauty of Calligraphy is the theme of this gallery. This gallery represents the beautiful art of calligraphy, the art of fine hand lettering. Calligraphy can be seen in artwork, on walls of buildings, on ceramics and glass. Calligraphy is a very beautiful form of writing and art and is very detailed and intricate.
Bronze Cup with Silver Inlay, Unknown, Turkey, 1275-1300, 1275/1300, From the collection of: The Museum of Islamic Art, Qatar
This is a bronze cup with silver script. There is a harmony within the golden hue and silver script. The surface looks smooth and very detailed. It has lasted through time and doesn’t look to weathered down.
The calligraphy etched into the cup is beautiful. The lines range from straight to curved and thin to thick. Every detail is carefully planned out.
Ferman with a Tughra, Unknown, Turkey, 16th Century, 1500/1600, From the collection of: The Museum of Islamic Art, Qatar
The lines are whimsical and clean. Situated between the lines are tiny detailed flowers. Gold and blue are repetitive colors throughout the entire picture. Every flower is detailed within itself, standing alone but in perfect harmony with every other flower. The calligraphy feels almost hidden like there is a story to be decoded.
Candlestick, Unknown, Mamluk Dynasty, mid-14th century, From the collection of: Cincinnati Art Museum
This candlestick is a beauty. The calligraphy etched around the base and top looks very smooth and neat. It's bronze but there is a silver tinge somewhat apparent throughout the piece.
Looking at the calligraphy, there seems to be a pattern at the top but at the base there is a difference in the lettering.
Calligraphic ornamental page, Unknown, 16th or 17th century, From the collection of: Pergamonmuseum, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
Blue and gold are repetitive colors throughout this page with a little bit of red. The calligraphy is very bold and black. The lines are strong and give off a sense of importance. Surrounding the calligraphy are very detailed, golden flowers. It’s a very beautiful page with different levels of depth.
Mamluk Enamelled and Gilded Glass, Unknown, Egypt, 14th Century, 1300/1400, From the collection of: The Museum of Islamic Art, Qatar
The colors on this vase are blue, red and gold. The gold shines very bright and hugely accentuates the vase. The calligraphy on this vase is outlined in red and blends into the base seamlessly. The paintings on the vase seem a bit hurried and unfinished but that might be due to weathering.
Carved Emerald, Unknown, India, 1695-1696, 1695/1696, From the collection of: The Museum of Islamic Art, Qatar
This emerald stone is a beauty within itself but the calligraphy etched into it gives it another layer of beauty. The stones surface seems very smooth and the calligraphy is very elegant and flawless. The sides of the emerald give it great dimensions. This emerald is beautiful and very detailed.
Rectangular casket with lid; Islamic, -1/1, From the collection of: Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art
This bronze box is slightly tarnished and has hints of red embedded in it. The box has survived greatly through many years. The calligraphy is very bold and systematic. The placement of the calligraphy feels in order and nothing looks out of place. The surfaces of the box look very smooth and peaceful.
Brass Celestial Globe, Unknown, India, 17th Century, 1600/1700, From the collection of: The Museum of Islamic Art, Qatar
This is a beautiful bright, golden globe. The calligraphy embedded into the globe may have to do with longitudes and latitudes. Without the calligraphy this globe would just be a golden ball and while that would beautiful, the calligraphy adds another level of beauty. This globe is really no different from today's globes.
Mamluk Gilded and Enamelled Glass Bucket or Finger Bowl, Unknown, Syria or Egypt, 14th Century, 1340/1360, From the collection of: The Museum of Islamic Art, Qatar
This bucket is very detailed. The colors represented are blue, green, gold, yellow and brown. The calligraphy is bold in blue and other colors help to accentuate it. At the base and top of the bucket there is a repetitive design in the color brown. There is a picture of an animal and it looks mirrored in the background.
Credits: All media
This user gallery has been created by an independent third party and may not represent the views of the institutions whose collections include the featured works or of Google Arts & Culture.
