Qur’an Manuscripts: Calligraphy, Illumination, Design

Posted by admin on November 8, 2011 Comments Off


While the significance of the written word reverberates through both Judaism and Christianity, nowhere does the physical presence of scripture matter as much as it does in the Islamic world. Recent controversies over Qurâ??an desecration by U.S. military personnel serve to illustrate just how revered the book continues to be in Muslim culture. Proof of the devotion the book inspires can also be gleaned by examining the sumptuously produced illuminated Qurâ??an manuscripts reproduced in this volume.
Arabic manuscript authority Colin Baker explores the central place of the Qurâ??an in Islamic society, but he also focuses on the manuscripts as physical objects, including a look at the celebrated calligraphy and the masterful artists who developed it. Numerous full-color images display the breadth of illumination styles and production materials used. Qurâ??an Manuscripts is a concise and readable overview of the long history of these manuscripts from across the wide Islamic world, from the eighth century to the end of the nineteenth, and from Spain to Southeast Asia.

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Islamic Geometric Patterns (Book & CD Rom)

Posted by admin on November 6, 2011 Comments Off

Clear diagrams and a detailed explanatory text: an inspirational guide for craftspeople and artists everywhere. Includes a CD-ROM.

The marvels of Islamic patternsâ??the most recognizable visual expression of Islamic art and architectureâ??are not just a beautiful accident. The ancient practitioners of this craft used traditional methods of measurement to create dazzling geometric compositions, often based on the repetition of a single pattern. The results are magnificent in their beauty and awe-inspiring in their execution.

Now, with the aid of this book, everyone can learn how to master this ancient art and create their own intricate patterns or re-create classic examples. All one needs are a pencil, a ruler, a compass, and a steady hand. First, technical tips demonstrate the basics: how to draw a square, hexagon, or pentagon. This is followed by some of the best examples of geometric patterns from around the world, arranged into three levels of complexity, with careful, step-by-step instructions.

The book features geometric patterns from some of the most famous and beautiful Islamic architecture and art, including: La Mezquita, Cordoba; Capella Palatina, Sicily; Mustansiriya Madrasa, Baghdad; Umayyad Mosque, Damascus; Mosque of al-Salih Tala’I, Cairo; The Koran of Rashid al-Din. Over 290 illustrations
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CALLIGRAPHY: An entry from Macmillan Reference USA’s <i>Encyclopedia of the Modern Middle East and North Africa 2</i>

Posted by admin on November 5, 2011 Comments Off

This digital document is an article from Encyclopedia of the Modern Middle East and North Africa 2, brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses. The length of the article is 661 words. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser. This second edition reflects the far-reaching changes the Middle East has undergone in recent years, making it more relevant and necessary than ever before. Covers the modern history of the Middle East and North Africa, with major sections on Colonialism and Imperialism, the World Wars, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the United Nations’ involvement in the region. Each country in the region is reviewed, detailing its population, economy, and government.
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Writing the Word of God: Calligraphy and the Qur’an (Museum of Fine Arts, Houston)

Posted by admin on November 4, 2011 Comments Off


The art of Islamic calligraphy developed from the 7th to the 14th century, beginning in western Arabia, spreading south to Yemen and north to the Near East, and continuing east and west to Iran, Egypt, North Africa, and Spain. This handsome book demonstrates the breadth and beauty of Islamic calligraphy across centuries and continents, as seen in rare early folios of the Qurâ??an.

 

Noted scholar David J. Roxburgh begins by discussing the Qurâ??an, which Muslims believe to be the written record of a series of divinely inspired revelations to the Prophet Muhammad. He then analyzes Kufic script, the preeminent vehicle for writing early manuscripts of the Qurâ??an; reforms of calligraphy in the 10th century; and the great master Islamic calligraphers, in particular Yaqut al-MustaÂ?simi. The beautiful reproductions of folios and bifolios validate Roxburghâ??s conclusion that Â?the miracle of the text of the Qurâ??an found its equal in the technical mastery of the calligrapherâ??s practice, a miracle in its own right.â?Â 


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