Arabic Calligraphy
Arabic Calligraphy

The Arabic script impacted the progress of art throughout the world. It has influenced cultures such as Andalusia in Spain and more. In addition, it has been an influential factor in various styles of artwork including Baroque and Rococo style arts in Europe. Let’s see how this exquisite art form changed the way we view modern-day artwork!

 

An Introduction to Arabic Calligraphy

Arabic calligraphy is a form of writing using connected and flowing strokes. This style of writing first appeared around 500 AD, which was during a time when both China and Rome had their own forms of writing. As for its influence in art history, it can be dated back to around 800 AD during a period called al-Andalus, which was when Islamic influence began to spread into Spain from Africa. During that era there were two main styles that evolved from Arabic calligraphy: Naskh and Kufi. Naskh became popular in Syria while Kufi became popular in Iraq. Later on, these styles influenced Baroque and Rococo art styles in Europe. It was also used by many artists such as Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael and Botticelli who used it to decorate pieces of work such as frescoes or paintings. Many people say that Arab calligraphy is one of the most beautiful types of handwriting ever created by humans due to its unique qualities such as gracefulness, elegance and fluidity compared with other types of handwriting like Latin script or Chinese characters. Due to these reasons many people are interested in learning how to write like an Arab person would do because they want to improve their handwriting skills or just simply have fun doing so.

 

Arab-Islamic Calligraphy Influenced Multiple Arts in The World

Arabic calligraphy had a great impact in the improvement of arts all over the world, as it has influenced cultures such as Andalusia in Spain and more, plus it has been the main influence in multiple art styles such as Baroque and Rococo art styles. Arabic calligraphy is an original language that only consists of consonants (Abjad), and each letter connects to another one with a particular shape for forming words.

 

Arab-Islamic Calligraphy Influenced The Spanish Alhambra

One of the most important influences that Arabic calligraphy has had on art history is its impact on architecture. The Alhambra, located in Granada, Spain, is one of many examples of buildings that show off intricate design elements influenced by Islamic artwork. Take a look at any corner of a palace building and you’ll notice patterns reminiscent of Islamic art. These features include calligraphic inscriptions and geometric shapes framing passages through arches or windows.

 

Arab-Islamic Calligraphy Affected Later European Painting Styles

The art of calligraphy and Islamic calligraphers inspired multiple European painting styles. One style that can be attributed to Arabic-Islamic calligraphy is Baroque art. The Baroque movement originated during 16th century Italy, a region that was once under occupation by Ottoman Turks and their Arab-Islamic culture. The paintings of Baroque artists were filled with vivid colors and intricate design patterns, which are common elements of classical Islamic art works. Rococo art style also borrows several decorative elements from classic Islamic calligraphy and painting techniques; most notably spirals on decoration pieces like candelabras or vases plus ornate arabesques, which resemble those seen on Islamic architecture all over North Africa, Iran, India and parts of Asia.

 

Arab-Islamic Art Influenced Music As Well

Early Arab-Islamic art heavily influenced music as well. The Islamic music is based on a system of modal scales known as maqamat. Each maqam is based on a scale or mode and has a distinct melodic structure, rhythm and mood. Typically, there are between five and eight notes used in each mode, which were thought to have been derived from an ancient warbling technique used by Bedouin musicians called zajal. Arabian music was created with specific intentions which included entertainment (dhikr), celebration (razia) and contemplation (wirid). It was performed for caliphs at palace courts where both men and women sang out loud together in public during their free time.

You may also like: Landscape Digital Art

 

What are some popular Arab-Islamic artwork from this era?

There are so many arts that came out of Arab-Islamic societies. Some of them are carpets, mosaics, Islamic architecture, art nouveau and more. The most popular pieces have to be Qur’an written by Islamic calligraphers such as Muhammad al-Bukhari and Hafiz Ibrahim Agha which was made in Istanbul during 19th century. These manuscripts were very complex to make and there is a huge amount of detail involved. Even though these calligraphic works were technically really good for their time, it wasn’t what led to it being seen as an influence on art history; rather it was its complexity and beauty which inspired artists from around Europe.

 

Where can I see these works today?

We know how much art that exists today can be attributed to Arab artists, but sometimes it is difficult to find these pieces, so here are a few places you might want to look: Louver Museum: The Louver is an art museum located in Paris and was founded on 10 August 1793. It contains one of the most extensive and valuable collections of ancient Egyptian antiquities and some of masterpieces of Western art. Hermitage Museum: Located in Saint Petersburg, Russia, it is one of Russia’s greatest museums as well as one of Europe’s oldest museums. British Museum: Located in London, United Kingdom, it was established in 1753 and has over eight million objects covering almost all cultures since human history began.

 

FAQ

What is special about Arabic calligraphy?

Calligraphy has a special place among the arts in the Muslim world; this is due to religion forbidding any type of representational art for religious purposes. Images are prohibited within Islamic culture and many other cultures, extending this prohibition not only to images of Allah but also for all figurative artwork related to religion.

 

What does Arabic calligraphy symbolize?

Arabic calligraphy is an art form that symbolizes the Islamic culture and the teachings of the Quran. It is traditionally created by using a pen or brush to draw decorative symbols from Arabic script

 

Where does Arabic calligraphy come from?

The Arabic script was developed out of Nabataean, a dialect of Aramaic that had been popular in northern Arabia since at least the 6th century CE.