Rachel Hajar's Blog: My Life in Doha - Posts Tagged "calligraphy"
ISLAMIC ART – WHAT IS IT?
Doha, Qatar, has a Museum of Islamic Art. It was opened two years ago, in 2008. Housed in the museum are manuscripts, ceramics, calligraphy, metalwork, pages from the Qur’an, fabulous jewels, textiles and carpets from across the Islamic world from the 7th century onwards.
To anyone who has browsed through Islamic galleries in other museums, the objects in the collection would seem familiar but in no way detracts from the objects’ inherent aesthetic appeal. Like the objects in other collections, the items fascinate and attract through their brilliant use of color and superb balance between design and form. Viewing them, one is drawn and charmed by the objects: they transcend distances in time and space and differences in language and culture. This explains the appeal and allure of Islamic art to a wide audience.
As in other collections, calligraphy, Arabic calligraphy, is omnipresent. In Islamic culture, calligraphy is considered the noblest form of art because of its association with the Qur’an, the Muslim holy book. The art of the book was not confined only to the Qur’an but extended to secular manuscripts as well as inscriptions on palaces, metalwork, pottery, stone, glass, wood, and textiles. Examples of these are found in all Islamic art collections, including the collections in the Qatar Museum of Islamic Art.
Another feature of Islamic art is the preference for covering surfaces with patterns composed of complex geometric or intricate vegetal elements (arabesques). This nonrepresentational decoration was developed to a high degree because of the ban on figural imagery. Images however, were allowed in Islamic courtly arts but figurative art is excluded in the decoration of religious monuments. These abstract designs give the objects elegance and beauty that is a delight to behold.
The primary means of artistic expression in Islamic cultures is the decorative arts as opposed to painting and sculpture in Western art. Illuminated manuscripts, woven textiles and carpets, inlaid metalwork, blown glass, glazed ceramics and carved wood and stone were mediums through which the Islamic artist or artisan expressed his creative energy. Oftentimes objects of daily use such as glass beakers, brass or ceramic plates or monumental architectural decoration such as glazed tile panels from building facades are beautifully ornamented, sometimes with rare and costly material suggesting that the people for whom they were made sought to surround themselves with beauty.
As in the arts of other cultures, Royal patronage played an important part in the evolution of Islamic art. Mosques and other religious buildings, including their decoration and furnishings was the responsibility of the ruler. Royal sponsorship of secular art, as in other cultures and civilizations, enabled the ruler to demonstrate the splendor of his court. Such objects were frequently made from precious materials. The majority of objects and manuscripts in museum collections (pottery, base metalware, carpets, textiles) however, have been viewed as the products of urban, middle class patronage. But whether produced in a courtly or urban or religious setting, Islamic art is generally the work of anonymous artists, and the technique employed is the same.
The Qatar Museum of Islamic Art is not a religious building but it was built by oil revenue from the state, under the patronage of the Amir of the state. It is a beautiful building. There is debate among private Qatari citizens whether the architecture is Islamic. As far as I’m concerned, it is: an ultra-modern interpretation and expression of the essence of Islamic architecture.
The building was designed by I.M. PEI, the celebrated Chinese-born American architect whose buildings are strongly dynamic and sharply geometrical with deep subtle touches of sensitivity to context. He knew nothing of Islam and Islamic architecture when he took on the Doha project and his quest to understand the essence of Islamic architecture took him to Spain, Syria, Turkey, Tunisia, and Egypt. He found his inspiration in the small ablutions fountain in the Mosque of Ibn Tulun in Cairo: “That little building is a poem . . . it is the very essence of Islamic architecture . . . from the octagon to the square and the square to the circle . . .” I.M. PEI
The Qatar Museum of Islamic Art stands on a man-made island in Doha, on the south side of the Corniche, sixty meters from the shore. Under the desert sun, its simple but distinctive architectural lines come to life: squares, rectangles, triangles, and arcs play in the sun, their shadows constantly changing as the sun moves through the sky. Its geometric simplicity is the captivating element of the museum. “It is the light of the desert that transforms the architecture into a play of light and shadow. Now, I do not know which is the shadow and which is the building . . .” I.M. PEI
Beyond its obvious exterior beauty, Islamic art makes us discover the rich historical and cultural traditions from which this art emerged.
Rachel Hajar, M.D.
My Life in Doha: Between Dream and Reality
http://www.strategicpublishinggroup.c...
www.amazon.com
www.barnesandnoble.com.
To anyone who has browsed through Islamic galleries in other museums, the objects in the collection would seem familiar but in no way detracts from the objects’ inherent aesthetic appeal. Like the objects in other collections, the items fascinate and attract through their brilliant use of color and superb balance between design and form. Viewing them, one is drawn and charmed by the objects: they transcend distances in time and space and differences in language and culture. This explains the appeal and allure of Islamic art to a wide audience.
As in other collections, calligraphy, Arabic calligraphy, is omnipresent. In Islamic culture, calligraphy is considered the noblest form of art because of its association with the Qur’an, the Muslim holy book. The art of the book was not confined only to the Qur’an but extended to secular manuscripts as well as inscriptions on palaces, metalwork, pottery, stone, glass, wood, and textiles. Examples of these are found in all Islamic art collections, including the collections in the Qatar Museum of Islamic Art.
Another feature of Islamic art is the preference for covering surfaces with patterns composed of complex geometric or intricate vegetal elements (arabesques). This nonrepresentational decoration was developed to a high degree because of the ban on figural imagery. Images however, were allowed in Islamic courtly arts but figurative art is excluded in the decoration of religious monuments. These abstract designs give the objects elegance and beauty that is a delight to behold.
The primary means of artistic expression in Islamic cultures is the decorative arts as opposed to painting and sculpture in Western art. Illuminated manuscripts, woven textiles and carpets, inlaid metalwork, blown glass, glazed ceramics and carved wood and stone were mediums through which the Islamic artist or artisan expressed his creative energy. Oftentimes objects of daily use such as glass beakers, brass or ceramic plates or monumental architectural decoration such as glazed tile panels from building facades are beautifully ornamented, sometimes with rare and costly material suggesting that the people for whom they were made sought to surround themselves with beauty.
As in the arts of other cultures, Royal patronage played an important part in the evolution of Islamic art. Mosques and other religious buildings, including their decoration and furnishings was the responsibility of the ruler. Royal sponsorship of secular art, as in other cultures and civilizations, enabled the ruler to demonstrate the splendor of his court. Such objects were frequently made from precious materials. The majority of objects and manuscripts in museum collections (pottery, base metalware, carpets, textiles) however, have been viewed as the products of urban, middle class patronage. But whether produced in a courtly or urban or religious setting, Islamic art is generally the work of anonymous artists, and the technique employed is the same.
The Qatar Museum of Islamic Art is not a religious building but it was built by oil revenue from the state, under the patronage of the Amir of the state. It is a beautiful building. There is debate among private Qatari citizens whether the architecture is Islamic. As far as I’m concerned, it is: an ultra-modern interpretation and expression of the essence of Islamic architecture.
The building was designed by I.M. PEI, the celebrated Chinese-born American architect whose buildings are strongly dynamic and sharply geometrical with deep subtle touches of sensitivity to context. He knew nothing of Islam and Islamic architecture when he took on the Doha project and his quest to understand the essence of Islamic architecture took him to Spain, Syria, Turkey, Tunisia, and Egypt. He found his inspiration in the small ablutions fountain in the Mosque of Ibn Tulun in Cairo: “That little building is a poem . . . it is the very essence of Islamic architecture . . . from the octagon to the square and the square to the circle . . .” I.M. PEI
The Qatar Museum of Islamic Art stands on a man-made island in Doha, on the south side of the Corniche, sixty meters from the shore. Under the desert sun, its simple but distinctive architectural lines come to life: squares, rectangles, triangles, and arcs play in the sun, their shadows constantly changing as the sun moves through the sky. Its geometric simplicity is the captivating element of the museum. “It is the light of the desert that transforms the architecture into a play of light and shadow. Now, I do not know which is the shadow and which is the building . . .” I.M. PEI
Beyond its obvious exterior beauty, Islamic art makes us discover the rich historical and cultural traditions from which this art emerged.
Rachel Hajar, M.D.
My Life in Doha: Between Dream and Reality
http://www.strategicpublishinggroup.c...
www.amazon.com
www.barnesandnoble.com.
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.
