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Rachel Hajar's Blog: My Life in Doha - Posts Tagged "art-of-the-book"
Book Art: “A thing of beauty is a joy forever”
Illuminated manuscripts are beautiful. It gives me a lot of pleasure to look at pages of books embellished with illustrations, decorated initials, and ornament in the margins. I sigh and marvel at the beauty and art involved in creating them. Such manuscripts are the domain of collectors and are prized possessions of libraries and museums. The invention of the printing press by Gutenberg in the 15th century not only made possible knowledge more accessible through the mass production of books but was instrumental in changing the nature of reading within society. It also eliminated the creation of beautiful books. However, the illuminated book tradition survives in the printing of Holy Scriptures such as the Holy Bible, Qur’an, and Gospel, available as limited editions.
In 2000, I obtained the Illuminated Family Edition of the Holy Bible, King James Version, and First edition, published by Thunder Bay Press; printed and bound in China! It is a work of great beauty: decorative borders, column dividers, and illuminated and historiated initial capitals. The preface informs me that the design for this edition is based on the Urbino Bible, one of masterpieces of 15th century art and bookmaking. It took the scribe (Ugo Comminelli of Mezieres) four years to complete the text by hand. The numerous illustrations and decorative elements were handpainted by such masters as Domenico and Davide Ghirlandaio. For the 2000 edition, all the illustrations in the original were electronically scanned and then removed digitally from their original backgrounds. Whenever I have time on my hands, it is always a joy to leaf through my edition and read some chapters. The beauty of the decorative elements intensifies the pleasure I feel when I read through my edition.
In 2008, I received, through mail from the Folio Society, an announcement of an illuminated English Edition of the Holy Qur’an. The illuminated Qur’ans that I’ve seen were all Arabic editions – very beautiful: borders embellished with geometric and vegetal patterns as secondary motifs separating the verses; calligraphic letterings, some in gold, with embellished margins; and elaborate full-page frontispieces. Lavishly ornamented pages belonged to museums and glitter like jewels in spotlighted glass cases but even copies owned by ordinary Muslims were/are illuminated, varying in degree from simple to lavish. Unlike illuminated Bibles, the Qur’ans do not illustrate scenes from the texts; instead they feature attractive script, flowers and touches of gold and lapis lazuli.
For so long I had wanted an illuminated English version of the Qur’an. The Arabic words mus’haf and Qur’an are synonymous but differ in connotation, according to my husband. Mus’haf refers to the physical book whereas Qur’an refers to the content in the book. So, what I wanted was an English Mus’haf. With much excitement, I ordered one copy and awaited its arrival with bated breath. It arrived months later. The hardcover is white. The frontispiece is ornamented with a central geometric pattern in gold and blue and bordered with fine interlocking lotus and vine-leaf design in gold accented with a touch of blue, like lapis lazuli. There was no adornment inside. I was of course very disappointed. I had fantasized reading the whole Qur’an during the 30 or so days of Ramadan, every Ramadan, as some Muslims do. I had been hoping that the decorated pages would enhance the pleasure of reading Holy texts. But then, how many Muslims read the Holy Qur’an in English? Muslims believe the Qur’an is the exact record of the words God spoke to the prophet Muhammad and for this reason, the Qur’an can only be written in Arabic. The English editions are only interpretations. I am aware that non-Arabic speaking Muslims read the Qur’an in Arabic. Also, they say that the Arabic language of the Qur’an is “perfect”; so then, truly, an illuminated Qur’an is a thing of beauty, as befits a mus’haf that contains the “words” of God.
Illuminated Qur’ans are among the loveliest. As demonstrated through the various illuminated Qur’ans in the possession of various museums and libraries, spanning centuries, the art of Islam achieved its richest artistic expression in book illustration – the art of the book – particularly in the production of the Holy Qur’an. The latest in the illustrious line of beautiful Qur’an editions is the Qatari-print of the Holy Qur’an (Mus’haf Qatar), released to the public last March 2010. My husband was given complimentary copies, of different sizes. The biggest measures 17.5 x 12.5 inches and came in a big wooden box. This big Qur’an sits on a Qur’an stand in our majilis. Mus’haf Qatar is also a work of art: set in exquisite calligraphy, with margins embellished with arabesques in gold and lapis lazuli. Two calligraphers were chosen in an international competition of renowned calligraphers (122) to prepare the new manuscripts in 24 months. The works of these two calligraphers were compared by an expert panel for final selection and the work of Obeida Mohammed Al Banki from Syria was chosen. The project took 10 years to realize and cost QR30m (around US8.5m).
There is a certain thrill in leafing and skimming through the pages of an illuminated book. The embellishment visually enchants. Two years ago, my husband informed me that a package had arrived for me, from the Folio Society. He had wondered what it could be and I had replied “A book most likely, since it’s from the Folio Society.” He had forgotten it in his car and at night he brought me the package – a big package. “It has to be books”, I said. “It says ‘Fragile’, he replied, making me think of glass. As I was already in bed, I asked him to just put it on the floor by the foot of the bed. We both wondered at the ‘Fragile’ sign. “Why don’t you open it now?” my husband asked. “I’m sort of lazy now. I’ll open it tomorrow when I come home from work. I’ll look forward to opening it all morning at work” I replied but curiosity got the better of me and finally I got up, took a pair of scissors, and opened the box. It was a book, a big book, a beautiful book. THE FOUR GOSPELS Engravings by ERIC GILL, the title read in golden calligraphic letters on black leather. It explained the fragile sign, I thought. Around the title were golden illustrations of a winged lion, an eagle, an angel, and a winged sheep, reminding me of Assyrian and Babylonian stone reliefs. I had ordered a copy of a Folio Society Limited Edition with the special engravings months back. As I leafed through, I was delighted at the beauty and elegance of the illuminated engravings. They seemed alive; they were quite breathtaking. The engravings were superb and the finest I had ever seen. On quiet moments, I would leaf through the book and read some of the gospels. Every time I open this book, a thrill goes through me. It is not an exaggeration to say that I’m ecstatic every time I feast my eyes on the engravings.
Before the invention of mechanical printing, books were handmade objects, treasured works of art, and symbols of enduring knowledge. In the Middle Ages, the book became an attribute of God. Every stage in the creation of a medieval book required intensive labor, sometimes involving the collaboration of entire workshops. Parchment for the pages had to be made from the dried hides of animals, cut to size and sewn; inks had to be mixed, pens prepared, and the pages ruled for lettering. A scribe copied the text from an established edition, and artists might then embellish it with illustrations, decorated initials, and ornament in the margins. The most lavish medieval books were bound in covers set with enamels, jewels, and ivory carvings.
An ebook can never give as much pleasure and enchantment as an illuminated book. Truly, an illuminated book is a thing of beauty and a joy forever.
Rachel Hajar, M.D.
My Life in Doha: Between Dream and Reality
http://www.strategicpublishinggroup.c...
www.amazon.com
www.barnesandnoble.com.
In 2000, I obtained the Illuminated Family Edition of the Holy Bible, King James Version, and First edition, published by Thunder Bay Press; printed and bound in China! It is a work of great beauty: decorative borders, column dividers, and illuminated and historiated initial capitals. The preface informs me that the design for this edition is based on the Urbino Bible, one of masterpieces of 15th century art and bookmaking. It took the scribe (Ugo Comminelli of Mezieres) four years to complete the text by hand. The numerous illustrations and decorative elements were handpainted by such masters as Domenico and Davide Ghirlandaio. For the 2000 edition, all the illustrations in the original were electronically scanned and then removed digitally from their original backgrounds. Whenever I have time on my hands, it is always a joy to leaf through my edition and read some chapters. The beauty of the decorative elements intensifies the pleasure I feel when I read through my edition.
In 2008, I received, through mail from the Folio Society, an announcement of an illuminated English Edition of the Holy Qur’an. The illuminated Qur’ans that I’ve seen were all Arabic editions – very beautiful: borders embellished with geometric and vegetal patterns as secondary motifs separating the verses; calligraphic letterings, some in gold, with embellished margins; and elaborate full-page frontispieces. Lavishly ornamented pages belonged to museums and glitter like jewels in spotlighted glass cases but even copies owned by ordinary Muslims were/are illuminated, varying in degree from simple to lavish. Unlike illuminated Bibles, the Qur’ans do not illustrate scenes from the texts; instead they feature attractive script, flowers and touches of gold and lapis lazuli.
For so long I had wanted an illuminated English version of the Qur’an. The Arabic words mus’haf and Qur’an are synonymous but differ in connotation, according to my husband. Mus’haf refers to the physical book whereas Qur’an refers to the content in the book. So, what I wanted was an English Mus’haf. With much excitement, I ordered one copy and awaited its arrival with bated breath. It arrived months later. The hardcover is white. The frontispiece is ornamented with a central geometric pattern in gold and blue and bordered with fine interlocking lotus and vine-leaf design in gold accented with a touch of blue, like lapis lazuli. There was no adornment inside. I was of course very disappointed. I had fantasized reading the whole Qur’an during the 30 or so days of Ramadan, every Ramadan, as some Muslims do. I had been hoping that the decorated pages would enhance the pleasure of reading Holy texts. But then, how many Muslims read the Holy Qur’an in English? Muslims believe the Qur’an is the exact record of the words God spoke to the prophet Muhammad and for this reason, the Qur’an can only be written in Arabic. The English editions are only interpretations. I am aware that non-Arabic speaking Muslims read the Qur’an in Arabic. Also, they say that the Arabic language of the Qur’an is “perfect”; so then, truly, an illuminated Qur’an is a thing of beauty, as befits a mus’haf that contains the “words” of God.
Illuminated Qur’ans are among the loveliest. As demonstrated through the various illuminated Qur’ans in the possession of various museums and libraries, spanning centuries, the art of Islam achieved its richest artistic expression in book illustration – the art of the book – particularly in the production of the Holy Qur’an. The latest in the illustrious line of beautiful Qur’an editions is the Qatari-print of the Holy Qur’an (Mus’haf Qatar), released to the public last March 2010. My husband was given complimentary copies, of different sizes. The biggest measures 17.5 x 12.5 inches and came in a big wooden box. This big Qur’an sits on a Qur’an stand in our majilis. Mus’haf Qatar is also a work of art: set in exquisite calligraphy, with margins embellished with arabesques in gold and lapis lazuli. Two calligraphers were chosen in an international competition of renowned calligraphers (122) to prepare the new manuscripts in 24 months. The works of these two calligraphers were compared by an expert panel for final selection and the work of Obeida Mohammed Al Banki from Syria was chosen. The project took 10 years to realize and cost QR30m (around US8.5m).
There is a certain thrill in leafing and skimming through the pages of an illuminated book. The embellishment visually enchants. Two years ago, my husband informed me that a package had arrived for me, from the Folio Society. He had wondered what it could be and I had replied “A book most likely, since it’s from the Folio Society.” He had forgotten it in his car and at night he brought me the package – a big package. “It has to be books”, I said. “It says ‘Fragile’, he replied, making me think of glass. As I was already in bed, I asked him to just put it on the floor by the foot of the bed. We both wondered at the ‘Fragile’ sign. “Why don’t you open it now?” my husband asked. “I’m sort of lazy now. I’ll open it tomorrow when I come home from work. I’ll look forward to opening it all morning at work” I replied but curiosity got the better of me and finally I got up, took a pair of scissors, and opened the box. It was a book, a big book, a beautiful book. THE FOUR GOSPELS Engravings by ERIC GILL, the title read in golden calligraphic letters on black leather. It explained the fragile sign, I thought. Around the title were golden illustrations of a winged lion, an eagle, an angel, and a winged sheep, reminding me of Assyrian and Babylonian stone reliefs. I had ordered a copy of a Folio Society Limited Edition with the special engravings months back. As I leafed through, I was delighted at the beauty and elegance of the illuminated engravings. They seemed alive; they were quite breathtaking. The engravings were superb and the finest I had ever seen. On quiet moments, I would leaf through the book and read some of the gospels. Every time I open this book, a thrill goes through me. It is not an exaggeration to say that I’m ecstatic every time I feast my eyes on the engravings.
Before the invention of mechanical printing, books were handmade objects, treasured works of art, and symbols of enduring knowledge. In the Middle Ages, the book became an attribute of God. Every stage in the creation of a medieval book required intensive labor, sometimes involving the collaboration of entire workshops. Parchment for the pages had to be made from the dried hides of animals, cut to size and sewn; inks had to be mixed, pens prepared, and the pages ruled for lettering. A scribe copied the text from an established edition, and artists might then embellish it with illustrations, decorated initials, and ornament in the margins. The most lavish medieval books were bound in covers set with enamels, jewels, and ivory carvings.
An ebook can never give as much pleasure and enchantment as an illuminated book. Truly, an illuminated book is a thing of beauty and a joy forever.
Rachel Hajar, M.D.
My Life in Doha: Between Dream and Reality
http://www.strategicpublishinggroup.c...
www.amazon.com
www.barnesandnoble.com.
