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Calligraphy in Islamic Art

• 
  Bowl emulating Chinese stoneware, Abbasid period (750–1258), 9th century;
  Iraq, probably Basra
  Earthenware; painted in blue on opaque white glaze

  H. 2 3/8 in. (6 cm), Diam. 8 in. (20.3 cm)
  Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1963 (63.159.4)

• 
  Folio from the "Blue Qur'an," Fatimid period (909–1171), second half of 9th–mid-10th century
  Tunisia, probably Qairawan
  Gold and silver on indigo-dyed parchment

  11 15/16 x 15 13/16 in. (30.4 x 40.2 cm)
  Purchase, Lila Acheson Wallace Gift, 2004 (2004.88)

• 
  Tiraz fragment from an ikat shawl, Ziyadid period (818–1018), late 9th–early 10th century
  Yemen
  Cotton, ink, and gold; plain weave, resist dyed (ikat), painted; inscription: black ink and gold leaf, painted

  L. 23 in. (58.4 cm), W. 16 in. (40.6 cm)
  Gift of George D. Pratt, 1929 (29.179.9)

• 
  Bowl, 10th century
  Samarqand (Uzbekistan) or Nishapur (Iran)
  Earthenware, red body, white engobe, underglaze-painted

  H. 7 in. (17.8 cm), Diam. 18 in. (45.7 cm)
  Rogers Fund, 1965 (65.106.2)

• 
  Bifolium from the Mashaf al-Hadina, 410 A.H. / 1019–20 a.d.
  Probably Qayrawan, Tunisia
  Ink, pigment, and gold on parchment

  H. 17 1/2 in. (44.5 cm); Gr. W. 23 5/8 in. (60 cm)
  Purchase, James and Diane Burke Gift, in honor of Dr. Marilyn Jenkins-Madina, 2007 (2007.191)

• 
  Mirror, 12th century
  Iran
  Cast bronze

  Diam. 7 5/8 in. (19.3 cm)
  Rogers Fund, 1942 (42.136)

• 
  Folio from a Qur'an manuscript, Seljuq period (1040–1196), ca. 1180
  Eastern Iran or present-day Afghanistan
  Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper

  H. 11 3/4 in. (29.8 cm), W. 8 3/4 in. (22.2 cm)
  H. O. Havemeyer Collection, Gift of Horace Havemeyer, 1929 (29.160.23)

• 
  Mosque lamp for the Mausoleum of Amir Aydakin al 'Ala'I al-Bunduqdar, Mamluk period (1250–1517), shortly after 1285
  Egypt, probably Cairo
  Glass, brownish; blown, folded foot, applied handles; enameled and gilded

  H. 10 3/8 in. (26.4 cm), W. 8 1/4 in. (21 cm)
  Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917 (17.190.985)

• 
  Leaf from a Qur'an manuscript, 13th–14th century
  Attributed to Spain
  Ink, colors, and gold on vellum

  21 1/16 x 22 in. (53.5 x 55.9 cm)
  Rogers Fund, 1942 (42.63)

• 
  Architectural tile with partial inscription, Timurid period (1370–1507), second half of 14th century
  Present-day Uzbekistan
  Stonepaste; carved and glazed

  14 3/16 x 11 x 2 15/16 in. (36 x 28 x 7.5 cm)
  Purchase, Friends of Islamic Art Gifts and Elaine Rosenberg Gift, 2006 (2006.274)

• 
  Panel of four calligraphic tiles, 14th–early 15th century; Marinid
  Morocco
  Glazed composite body

  H. 4 7/8 in. (12.4 cm), L. 22 1/4 in. (56.5 cm)
  Purchase, Leon B. Polsky and Cynthia Hazen Polsky Gift, in honor of Patti Cadby Birch, 1999 (1999.146)

• 
  Fragment from a Qur'an manuscript, ca. 1400; Timurid
  Calligraphy attributed to ^cUmar Aqta^c
  Central Asia (probably Samarqand)
  Ink, colors, and gold on paper

  H. 17 5/16 in. (44 cm), W. 38 1/4 in. (97.2 cm)
  Anonymous Gift, 1972 (1972.279)

• 
  Helmet, late 15th century; Ak-Koyunlu/Shivran
  Iranian
  Steel, engraved and damascened with silver

  H. 13 3/8 in. (34 cm)
  Rogers Fund, 1950 (50.87)

• 
  Dedicatory inscription from a mosque, Indian Sultanate period (1206–1555), dated A.H. 905 / a.d. 1500
  India, Bengal
  Gabbro; carved

  H. 16 1/8 in. (41 cm), W. 45 5/16 in. (115.1 cm), Diam. 2 3/4 in. (7 cm)
  Purchase, Gift of Mrs. Nelson Doubleday and Bequest of Charles R. Gerth, by exchange, 1981 (1981.320)

• 
  Mosque-lamp-shaped vessel with Arabic inscriptions, Ottoman period (ca. 1299–1923), 1525–40
  Turkey, Iznik
  Stonepaste; painted in blue under transparent glaze

  H. 6 11/16 in. (17 cm), Max. Diam. 5 13/16 in. (14.8 cm)
  Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1959 (59.69.3)

• 
  Tughra (Imperial Cipher) of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent (r. 1520–1566), ca. 1555; Ottoman
  Turkey (Istanbul)
  Ink, opaque watercolors, and gold on paper

  20 1/2 x 25 3/8 in. (52.1 x 64.5 cm)
  Rogers Fund, 1938 (38.149.1)

• 
  Calligraphic roundel inscribed Ya'aziz (Oh Mighty!), late 16th–early 17th century
  India, Deccan, Hyderabad
  Sandstone; carved, traces of pigment

  Diam. 18 1/2 in. (47 cm), D. 1 3/16 in. (3 cm), Wt. 10 lbs. (4.5 kg)
  Edward Pearce Casey Fund, 1985 (1985.240.1)

• 
  Calligraphic composition in the shape of a peacock: Folio from the Bellini Album, Ottoman period (ca. 1299–1923), ca. 1600
  Turkey
  Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper

  H. 9 9/16 in. (24.3 cm), W. 7 1/16 in. (17.9 cm)
  Louis V. Bell Fund, 1967 (67.266.7.8r)

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While most works of art had legible inscriptions, not all Muslims would have been able to read them.

Related

Timelines (17)

• Anatolia and the Caucasus, 1400–1600 A.D.
• Anatolia and the Caucasus, 1600–1800 A.D.
• Arabian Peninsula, 500–1000 A.D.
• Balkan Peninsula, 1400–1600 A.D.
• Central and North Asia, 500–1000 A.D.
• Central and North Asia, 1000–1400 A.D.
• Central and North Asia, 1000–1400 A.D.
• Central and North Asia, 1400–1600 A.D.
• Egypt, 1000–1400 A.D.
• Iberian Peninsula, 1000–1400 A.D.
• Iran, 1000–1400 A.D.
• Iraq (Mesopotamia), 500–1000 A.D.
• South Asia, 1400–1600 A.D.
• South Asia, 1600–1800 A.D.
• Western North Africa (The Maghrib), 500–1000 A.D.
• Western North Africa (The Maghrib), 1000–1400 A.D.
• Western North Africa (The Maghrib), 1400–1600 A.D.

Primary Thematic Essays (5)

• The Art of the Book in the Ilkhanid Period
• The Arts of the Book in the Islamic World, 1600–1800
• Birth of Islam
• The Nature of Islamic Art
• Vegetal Patterns in Islamic Art

Other Thematic Essays (34)

• The Age of Süleyman "the Magnificent"
• Amulets and Talismans from the Islamic World
• The Art of the ^cAbbasid Period (750–1258)
• The Art of the Almoravid and Almohad Periods (ca. 1062–1269)
• The Art of the Ayyubid Period (ca. 1171–1260)
• The Art of the Fatimid Period (909–1171)
• The Art of the Ilkhanid Period (1256–1353)
• The Art of the Mamluk Period (1250–1517)
• The Art of the Mughals after 1600 a.d.
• The Art of the Ottomans after 1600
• The Art of the Seljuq Period in Anatolia (1081–1307)
• The Art of the Seljuqs of Iran (ca. 1040–1157)
• The Art of the Umayyad Period in Spain (711–1031)
• Chinese Calligraphy
• Commercial Exchange, Diplomacy, and Religious Difference between Venice and the Islamic world
• The Damascus Room
• Enameled and Gilded Glass from Islamic Lands
• Figural Representation in Islamic Art
• Geometric Patterns in Islamic Art
• Indian Textiles: Trade and Production
• List of Rulers of the Islamic World
• The Magic of Signs and Patterns in North African Art
• The Mantiq al–Tayr of 1487
• The Metropolitan Museum's Excavations at Nishapur
• Modern and Contemporary Art in Iran
• Modern Art in West and East Pakistan
• Modern Art in West Asia: From Colonial to Post–colonial Period
• Nineteenth–Century Court Arts of India
• Nineteenth–century Iran: Continuity and Revivalism
• Roman Inscriptions
• The Shahnama of Shah Tahmasp
• Silks from Ottoman Turkey
• Takht–i Sulayman and Tile Work in the Ilkhanid Period
• West Asia: Between Tradition and Modernity

Maps (2)

• World, 500–1000 a.d.
• World, 1000–1400 a.d.

Index Terms (13)

Art Movement/Style

• ^cAbd al–^cAziz

Geography/Place

• Islamic World

Material and Technique

• Calligraphy from West Asia
• Glazed Ceramic from West Asia
• Gold Leaf

Object

• Accessories for Clothing
• Islamic Manuscript

Subject Matter/Theme

• Islamic Architecture
• Islamic Book
• Islamic Calligraphy
• Islamic Glass
• Islamic Textile
• Liturgical Books

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Calligraphy is the most highly regarded and most fundamental element of Islamic art. It is significant that the Qur’an, the book of God's revelations to the Prophet Muhammad, was transmitted in Arabic, and that inherent within the Arabic script is the potential for developing a variety of ornamental forms. The employment of calligraphy as ornament had a definite aesthetic appeal but often also included an underlying talismanic component. While most works of art had legible inscriptions, not all Muslims would have been able to read them. One should always keep in mind, however, that calligraphy is principally a means to transmit a text, albeit in a decorative form.

Objects from different periods and regions vary in the use of calligraphy in their overall design, demonstrating the creative possibilities of calligraphy as ornament. In some cases, calligraphy is the dominant element in the decoration. In these examples, the artist exploits the inherent possibilities of the Arabic script to create writing as ornament. An entire word can give the impression of random brushstrokes, or a single letter can develop into a decorative knot. In other cases, highly esteemed calligraphic works on paper are themselves ornamented and enhanced by their decorative frames or backgrounds. Calligraphy can also become part of an overall ornamental program, clearly separated from the rest of the decoration. In some examples, calligraphy can be combined with vegetal scrolls on the same surface though often on different levels, creating an interplay of decorative elements.

Department of Islamic Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Citation Department of Islamic Art. "Calligraphy in Islamic Art". In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/cali/hd_cali.htm (October 2001) Further Reading Blair, Sheila S. Islamic Calligraphy. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2006. Grabar, Oleg. The Mediation of Ornament. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1992. Related exhibitions and online features Special Exhibitions (including upcoming, current, and past exhibitions) New Galleries for the Art of the Arab Lands, Turkey, Iran, Central Asia, and Later South Asia Sultan cAli of Mashhad, Master of Nastacliq

These related Museum Bulletin or Journal articles may or may not represent the most current scholarship. Uluç Lâle . "A Persian Epic, Perhaps for the Ottoman Sultan." Metropolitan Museum Journal, Vol. 29 (1994). JSTOR | PDF Schimmel, Annemarie, with the assistance of Barbara Rivolta. "Islamic Calligraphy." The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, v. 50, no. 1 (Summer, 1992). JSTOR | PDF | Supplemental PDFs "Director's Note" PDF Alexander, David G. "The Guarded Tablet." Metropolitan Museum Journal, Vol. 24 (1989). JSTOR | PDF Komaroff, Linda. "Pen-Case and Candlestick: Two Sources for the Development of Persian Inlaid Metalwork." Metropolitan Museum Journal, Vol. 23 (1988). JSTOR | PDF Alexander, D. G. "Two Aspects of Islamic Arms and Armor: I. The Turban Helmet and II. Watered Steel and the Waters of Paradise." Metropolitan Museum Journal, Vol. 18 (1983). JSTOR | PDF Jenkins, Marilyn. "Islamic Pottery: A Brief History." The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, v. 40, no. 4 (Spring, 1983). JSTOR | PDF | Supplemental PDFs "Director's Note" PDF "Introduction" PDF Knauer, Elfriede R. "Marble Jar-Stands from Egypt". Metropolitan Museum Journal, Vol. 14 (1979). JSTOR | PDF Ettinghausen, Richard. "Islamic Art." The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, v. 33, no. 1 (Spring, 1975). JSTOR | PDF | Supplemental PDFs "Director's Note" PDF Brunner, Christopher J. "Middle Persian Inscriptions on Sasanian Silverware." Metropolitan Museum Journal, Vol. 9 (1974). JSTOR | PDF Aanavi, Don. "Western Islamic Art." The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, v. 27, no. 3 (November, 1968). JSTOR | PDF Aanavi, Don. "Devotional Writing: 'Pseudoinscriptions' in Islamic Art." The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, v. 26, no. 9 (May, 1968). Grube, Ernst J., et al. "Art Treasures of Turkey." The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, v. 26, no. 5 (January, 1968). JSTOR | PDFs "Anatolia" PDF "Byzantium" PDF "Director's Note" PDF "Lydia" PDF "The Ottoman Empire" PDF "Turguerie" PDF Grube, Ernst J. "The Art of Islamic Pottery." The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, v. 23, no. 6 (February, 1965). JSTOR | PDF Grancsay, Stephen V. "The New Galleries of Oriental Arms and Armor." Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, New ser., v. 16, no. 9 (May, 1958) JSTOR | PDF Dimand, Maurice Sven. "New Accessions of Islamic Art." Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, New ser., v. 16, no. 8 (April, 1958) JSTOR | PDF Day, Florence E. "An Umayyad Pharmacist's Measuring Cup." Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, New ser., v. 11, no. 9 (May, 1953) JSTOR | PDF