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The Art of the Word: Calligraphy as Devotion
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"Calligraphy is the beating heart of Islamic art."
When figural representation was restricted in sacred contexts, language itself became the primary vessel for divine expression.
Miller and Taube (1997) explain how calligraphy transforms the Qur’anic word into a visual object, a way of seeing and experiencing revelation. Scripts like Kufic, Naskh, and Thuluth are not merely handwriting styles, they are architectures of meaning.
Characteristics include:
-Vertical elongation to evoke elevation
-Curved shapes representing fluidity and breath
-Interlaced composition symbolizing interconnectedness
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TO WRITE BEAUTIFULLY WAS TO WORSHIP. ~
VISUALS: -Thuluth Qur’an folio (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/447781) -Kufic inscription on a dome (https://www.alamy.com/niche-with-kufic-inscription-dome-chamber-of-taj-al-mulk-isfahan-friday-image62558264.html) -Ottoman calligraphic tughra (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/449533)