With simple beginnings in the pre-Islamic period, Arabic script developed rapidly after the rise of Islam into not only a writing system but also an art form. Includes audio by Assistant Curator of South Asian Art, Qamar Adamjee.
All Chinese characters are made up of a number of strokes. These strokes are painted in a prescribed order, depending on the script. Generally, strokes move from top to bottom and from left to right.
Islam is one of the world’s major religions. It shares with Judaism and Christianity a belief in a single god. The Arabic name for God is Allah. The word Islam means “surrender (to God).” The followers of Islam are called Muslims, which in Arabic means “one who surrenders to God.”
A brief introduction to the Qu'ran. Includes audio by Assistant Curator of South Asian Art, Qamar Adamjee.
Students gain an appreciation and understanding of art and culture, and build language skills by reading; developing scripts; making choices about gesture, voice, and expression; and performing traditional stories alongside art objects in the Asian Art Museum’s collection galleries.
The Islamic world is and always has been more diverse and complex than most outsiders have thought...
Master Chinese calligrapher Cai Xingyi writes the poem Ascending the Heron Tower by Poet Wang Zhihuan (688-742) in cursive script. See more in the exhibition, Out of Character: Decoding Chinese Calligraphy (on view at the Asian Art Museum from Oct. 5, 2012–Jan. 13, 2013).
Just as beautiful calligraphy is a reflection of a pure soul, the training to become a master Islamic calligrapher (hattats) symbolizes a religious pilgrimage. The pursuit to acquire exquisite penmanship brought one closer to spiritual perfection and to God. This is evident in the tradition of passing down knowledge from teacher to pupil. Following the structure set by the spiritual teaching of Sufism, it is appropriately called the “chain of transmission.” It is through this training process that individual styles have been preserved and may be traced back through the centuries from a long lineage of calligraphers.
The Bodhisattva Maitreya, 100–300. Pakistan; ancient region of Gandhara. Schist. The Avery Brundage Collection, B60S597.
The Buddha triumphing over Mara, 900–1000. India; probably Kurkihar, Bihar state. Stone. The Avery Brundage Collection, B60S598.
