The Rise of Islamic Calligraphy

The Rise of Islamic Calligraphy

Author: Alain George

Publisher: Saqi Books

Published: 2010

Total Pages: 248

ISBN-13:

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Beautifully illustrated, this is an essential reference work for students and connoisseurs of calligraphy alike.


Book Synopsis The Rise of Islamic Calligraphy by : Alain George

Download or read book The Rise of Islamic Calligraphy written by Alain George and published by Saqi Books. This book was released on 2010 with total page 248 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Beautifully illustrated, this is an essential reference work for students and connoisseurs of calligraphy alike.


How to Read Islamic Calligraphy

How to Read Islamic Calligraphy

Author: Maryam D. Ekhtiar

Publisher: Metropolitan Museum of Art

Published: 2018-09-03

Total Pages: 159

ISBN-13: 1588396304

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"For centuries, Islamic calligraphy has mesmerized viewers with its beauty, sophistication, and seemingly endless variety of styles. How to Read Islamic Calligraphy offers new perspectives on this distinctive art form, using examples from The Met's superlative collections to explore the enduring preeminence of the written word as a means of creative expression throughout the Islamic world. Combining engaging, accessible texts with stunning new photography, How to Read Islamic Calligraphy introduces readers to the major Islamic script types and explains the various contexts, whether secular or sacred, in which each one came to be used. Beauty and brilliance emerge in equal measure from works of every medium, from lavishly illuminated Qur'an manuscripts, to glassware etched with poetic verses, to ceramic tiles brushed with benedictions. The sheer breadth of objects illustrated in these pages exemplifies the ubiquity of calligraphy, and provides a compelling introduction to this unique art form"--Publisher's description


Book Synopsis How to Read Islamic Calligraphy by : Maryam D. Ekhtiar

Download or read book How to Read Islamic Calligraphy written by Maryam D. Ekhtiar and published by Metropolitan Museum of Art. This book was released on 2018-09-03 with total page 159 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "For centuries, Islamic calligraphy has mesmerized viewers with its beauty, sophistication, and seemingly endless variety of styles. How to Read Islamic Calligraphy offers new perspectives on this distinctive art form, using examples from The Met's superlative collections to explore the enduring preeminence of the written word as a means of creative expression throughout the Islamic world. Combining engaging, accessible texts with stunning new photography, How to Read Islamic Calligraphy introduces readers to the major Islamic script types and explains the various contexts, whether secular or sacred, in which each one came to be used. Beauty and brilliance emerge in equal measure from works of every medium, from lavishly illuminated Qur'an manuscripts, to glassware etched with poetic verses, to ceramic tiles brushed with benedictions. The sheer breadth of objects illustrated in these pages exemplifies the ubiquity of calligraphy, and provides a compelling introduction to this unique art form"--Publisher's description


A Companion to Islamic Art and Architecture

A Companion to Islamic Art and Architecture

Author: Finbarr Barry Flood

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2017-06-16

Total Pages: 1448

ISBN-13: 1119068576

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The two-volume Companion to Islamic Art and Architecture bridges the gap between monograph and survey text by providing a new level of access and interpretation to Islamic art. The more than 50 newly commissioned essays revisit canonical topics, and include original approaches and scholarship on neglected aspects of the field. This two-volume Companion showcases more than 50 specially commissioned essays and an introduction that survey Islamic art and architecture in all its traditional grandeur Essays are organized according to a new chronological-geographical paradigm that remaps the unprecedented expansion of the field and reflects the nuances of major artistic and political developments during the 1400-year span The Companion represents recent developments in the field, and encourages future horizons by commissioning innovative essays that provide fresh perspectives on canonical subjects, such as early Islamic art, sacred spaces, palaces, urbanism, ornament, arts of the book, and the portable arts while introducing others that have been previously neglected, including unexplored geographies and periods, transregional connectivities, talismans and magic, consumption and networks of portability, museums and collecting, and contemporary art worlds; the essays entail strong comparative and historiographic dimensions The volumes are accompanied by a map, and each subsection is preceded by a brief outline of the main cultural and historical developments during the period in question The volumes include periods and regions typically excluded from survey books including modern and contemporary art-architecture; China, Indonesia, Sub-Saharan Africa, Sicily, the New World (Americas)


Book Synopsis A Companion to Islamic Art and Architecture by : Finbarr Barry Flood

Download or read book A Companion to Islamic Art and Architecture written by Finbarr Barry Flood and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2017-06-16 with total page 1448 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The two-volume Companion to Islamic Art and Architecture bridges the gap between monograph and survey text by providing a new level of access and interpretation to Islamic art. The more than 50 newly commissioned essays revisit canonical topics, and include original approaches and scholarship on neglected aspects of the field. This two-volume Companion showcases more than 50 specially commissioned essays and an introduction that survey Islamic art and architecture in all its traditional grandeur Essays are organized according to a new chronological-geographical paradigm that remaps the unprecedented expansion of the field and reflects the nuances of major artistic and political developments during the 1400-year span The Companion represents recent developments in the field, and encourages future horizons by commissioning innovative essays that provide fresh perspectives on canonical subjects, such as early Islamic art, sacred spaces, palaces, urbanism, ornament, arts of the book, and the portable arts while introducing others that have been previously neglected, including unexplored geographies and periods, transregional connectivities, talismans and magic, consumption and networks of portability, museums and collecting, and contemporary art worlds; the essays entail strong comparative and historiographic dimensions The volumes are accompanied by a map, and each subsection is preceded by a brief outline of the main cultural and historical developments during the period in question The volumes include periods and regions typically excluded from survey books including modern and contemporary art-architecture; China, Indonesia, Sub-Saharan Africa, Sicily, the New World (Americas)


Islamic Calligraphy

Islamic Calligraphy

Author: Blair Sheila Blair

Publisher: Edinburgh University Press

Published: 2020-01-19

Total Pages: 736

ISBN-13: 1474464475

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Joint Winner of the 2007 British-Kuwait Friendship Society Prize for Middle Eastern StudiesThis stunning book is an important contribution to a key area of non-western art, being the first reference work on the art of beautiful writing in Arabic script.The extensive use of writing is a hallmark of Islamic civilization. Calligraphy, the art of beautiful writing, became one of the main methods of artistic expression from the seventh century to the present in almost all regions from the far Maghrib, or Islamic West, to India and beyond. Arabic script was adopted for other languages from Persian and Turkish to Kanembu and Malay. Sheila S. Blair's groundbreaking book explains this art form to modern readers and shows them how to identify, understand and appreciate its varied styles and modes. The book is designed to offer a standardized terminology for identifying and describing various styles of Islamic calligraphy and to help Westerners appreciate why calligraphy has long been so important in Islamic civilization.The argument is enhanced by the inclusion of more than 150 colour illustrations, as well as over a hundred black-and-white details that highlight the salient features of the individual scripts and hands. Examples are chosen from dated or datable examples with secure provenance, for the problem of forgeries and copies (both medieval and modern) is rampant. The illustrations are accompanied by detailed analyses telling the reader what to look for in determining both style and quality of script.This beautiful new book is an ideal reference for anyone with an interest in Islamic art.Key Features* Written by the world's leading expert on Islamic calligraphy* Includes c.150 colour illustrations* Comprehensive: covers the art of calligraphy throughout Islamic civilisation, from the 7thc. to the present* The first volume to explain this art form to modern readers, guiding them in the identification, understanding and appreciation of its varied style


Book Synopsis Islamic Calligraphy by : Blair Sheila Blair

Download or read book Islamic Calligraphy written by Blair Sheila Blair and published by Edinburgh University Press. This book was released on 2020-01-19 with total page 736 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Joint Winner of the 2007 British-Kuwait Friendship Society Prize for Middle Eastern StudiesThis stunning book is an important contribution to a key area of non-western art, being the first reference work on the art of beautiful writing in Arabic script.The extensive use of writing is a hallmark of Islamic civilization. Calligraphy, the art of beautiful writing, became one of the main methods of artistic expression from the seventh century to the present in almost all regions from the far Maghrib, or Islamic West, to India and beyond. Arabic script was adopted for other languages from Persian and Turkish to Kanembu and Malay. Sheila S. Blair's groundbreaking book explains this art form to modern readers and shows them how to identify, understand and appreciate its varied styles and modes. The book is designed to offer a standardized terminology for identifying and describing various styles of Islamic calligraphy and to help Westerners appreciate why calligraphy has long been so important in Islamic civilization.The argument is enhanced by the inclusion of more than 150 colour illustrations, as well as over a hundred black-and-white details that highlight the salient features of the individual scripts and hands. Examples are chosen from dated or datable examples with secure provenance, for the problem of forgeries and copies (both medieval and modern) is rampant. The illustrations are accompanied by detailed analyses telling the reader what to look for in determining both style and quality of script.This beautiful new book is an ideal reference for anyone with an interest in Islamic art.Key Features* Written by the world's leading expert on Islamic calligraphy* Includes c.150 colour illustrations* Comprehensive: covers the art of calligraphy throughout Islamic civilisation, from the 7thc. to the present* The first volume to explain this art form to modern readers, guiding them in the identification, understanding and appreciation of its varied style


The Splendor of Islamic Calligraphy

The Splendor of Islamic Calligraphy

Author: Abdelkebir Khatibi

Publisher:

Published: 2001

Total Pages: 239

ISBN-13: 0500282943

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Calligraphy, the art that combines visual image and written word, is perhaps at its most brilliant in the arts of Islam. Islamic calligraphy traditionally took its inspiration from the Muslim belief in the divine origin of Arabic writing, the medium through which the Qur'anic revelation to the Prophet Muhammad was recorded. In early Islam the use of Arabic writing is sacred, and official texts gave rise to a wonderful profusion of scripts and a calligraphic tradition that has flourished for over a thousand yearsnot only in manuscript decoration but in architecture, ceramics, and painting. With chapters on the use of calligraphy in architecture and contemporary painting, The Splendor of Islamic Calligraphy provides a comprehensive and fascinating survey of the subject from its earliest origins to the present day. It explains the geometrical and ornamental principles of calligraphy with the help of numerous line drawings, and examines the interdependence of script and page decoration. It gives an overview of the many complex variations of this most graphic form of writing and traces its evolution up to its current expression in the paintings of artists such as Shakir Hassan. Finally, and perhaps most important, it contains outstanding examples of scriptskufic, thuluth, naskhi, and maghribi among othersin a series of magnificent reproductions of manuscript pages, paintings, and other works of art. 232 illustrations, 98 in color.


Book Synopsis The Splendor of Islamic Calligraphy by : Abdelkebir Khatibi

Download or read book The Splendor of Islamic Calligraphy written by Abdelkebir Khatibi and published by . This book was released on 2001 with total page 239 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Calligraphy, the art that combines visual image and written word, is perhaps at its most brilliant in the arts of Islam. Islamic calligraphy traditionally took its inspiration from the Muslim belief in the divine origin of Arabic writing, the medium through which the Qur'anic revelation to the Prophet Muhammad was recorded. In early Islam the use of Arabic writing is sacred, and official texts gave rise to a wonderful profusion of scripts and a calligraphic tradition that has flourished for over a thousand yearsnot only in manuscript decoration but in architecture, ceramics, and painting. With chapters on the use of calligraphy in architecture and contemporary painting, The Splendor of Islamic Calligraphy provides a comprehensive and fascinating survey of the subject from its earliest origins to the present day. It explains the geometrical and ornamental principles of calligraphy with the help of numerous line drawings, and examines the interdependence of script and page decoration. It gives an overview of the many complex variations of this most graphic form of writing and traces its evolution up to its current expression in the paintings of artists such as Shakir Hassan. Finally, and perhaps most important, it contains outstanding examples of scriptskufic, thuluth, naskhi, and maghribi among othersin a series of magnificent reproductions of manuscript pages, paintings, and other works of art. 232 illustrations, 98 in color.


Forces of Fortune

Forces of Fortune

Author: Seyyed Vali Reza Nasr

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2009-09-15

Total Pages: 322

ISBN-13: 1416589686

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Leading authority on the Islamic world and influential advisor to the Obama administration Vali Nasr shows that the West's best hope of winning the battle against Islamic extremists is to foster the growth of a vibrant new Muslim middle class. This flourishing of Muslim bourgeoisie is reshaping the mind-set, politics, and even the religious values of Muslims in much the same way the Western bourgeoisie lead the capitalist and democratic revolution in Europe. Whereas extremism has grown out of the dismal economic failures of the authoritarian Islamic regimes, Nasr explains, the wealth and aspirations of this Islamic "critical middle" put them squarely at odds with extremism. They have ushered in remarkable transformations already in Dubai, Turkey, and Indonesia, and they are the key to tipping the balance in both Iran and Pakistan. As he writes "the great battle for the soul of the Muslim world will be fought not over religion but over market capitalism."


Book Synopsis Forces of Fortune by : Seyyed Vali Reza Nasr

Download or read book Forces of Fortune written by Seyyed Vali Reza Nasr and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2009-09-15 with total page 322 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Leading authority on the Islamic world and influential advisor to the Obama administration Vali Nasr shows that the West's best hope of winning the battle against Islamic extremists is to foster the growth of a vibrant new Muslim middle class. This flourishing of Muslim bourgeoisie is reshaping the mind-set, politics, and even the religious values of Muslims in much the same way the Western bourgeoisie lead the capitalist and democratic revolution in Europe. Whereas extremism has grown out of the dismal economic failures of the authoritarian Islamic regimes, Nasr explains, the wealth and aspirations of this Islamic "critical middle" put them squarely at odds with extremism. They have ushered in remarkable transformations already in Dubai, Turkey, and Indonesia, and they are the key to tipping the balance in both Iran and Pakistan. As he writes "the great battle for the soul of the Muslim world will be fought not over religion but over market capitalism."


Introduction to Islamic Calligraphy

Introduction to Islamic Calligraphy

Author: Abd. Rahman Hamzah

Publisher: Penerbit UTM Press

Published: 2012

Total Pages: 4

ISBN-13: 9835208379

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In this book, Islamic Calligraphy is introduced by establishing its origin and history, the development, the significance and its role in the Muslim society. The development of Islamic calligraphy reached the stage of precision especially during the Abbasid era, when the writing method has been improved with the introduction of calligraphy's unit of proportion. The Turkish Ottoman’s contribution is noteworthy as their Sultans played a major role in promoting the calligraphy education and activities. The major calligraphy style, namely Kufi, Naskh, Thuluth,Diwani, Riq ‘ah and Nasta ‘liq (including Ta ’liq and Shikasteh) are clarified besides the tools of a calligrapher and information on a few prominent calligraphers. Other elements of Islamic decoration such as the Arabesque, floral patterns and geometry are also presented. Besides calligraphy, the writer also looks into the Malay Jawi script, definition of the terms, history and the present situation. Finally, the book analyzes the trend of applying calligraphy in selected prominent mosques of Malaysia, their styles, materials, locations and their meanings


Book Synopsis Introduction to Islamic Calligraphy by : Abd. Rahman Hamzah

Download or read book Introduction to Islamic Calligraphy written by Abd. Rahman Hamzah and published by Penerbit UTM Press. This book was released on 2012 with total page 4 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this book, Islamic Calligraphy is introduced by establishing its origin and history, the development, the significance and its role in the Muslim society. The development of Islamic calligraphy reached the stage of precision especially during the Abbasid era, when the writing method has been improved with the introduction of calligraphy's unit of proportion. The Turkish Ottoman’s contribution is noteworthy as their Sultans played a major role in promoting the calligraphy education and activities. The major calligraphy style, namely Kufi, Naskh, Thuluth,Diwani, Riq ‘ah and Nasta ‘liq (including Ta ’liq and Shikasteh) are clarified besides the tools of a calligrapher and information on a few prominent calligraphers. Other elements of Islamic decoration such as the Arabesque, floral patterns and geometry are also presented. Besides calligraphy, the writer also looks into the Malay Jawi script, definition of the terms, history and the present situation. Finally, the book analyzes the trend of applying calligraphy in selected prominent mosques of Malaysia, their styles, materials, locations and their meanings


Islamic Calligraphy

Islamic Calligraphy

Author: Yasin Hamid Safadi

Publisher:

Published: 1979

Total Pages: 152

ISBN-13:

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No civilization has revered the Word more deeply than Islam, and in none has calligraphy become so major and universal an art form. This superbly illustrated book, which includes examples of the work of many of the most famous calligraphers of all time, is the first to allow the reader to follow calligraphy from its origins in pre-Islamic times, through its reform with the invention of the strict rules which make it so disciplined an art and which led to its periods of greatest flowering, right up tot he innovations of the present century. But writing is not confined to the pen, inscriptions appear virtually everywhere--on furniture and textiles, on metalware and ceramics, and most strikingly of all, on buildings. The breadth of approach of text and illustrations makes this a book of equal interest to the Westerner and the Muslim, the traveller and the museum visitor, the student and the artist. -- Back cover


Book Synopsis Islamic Calligraphy by : Yasin Hamid Safadi

Download or read book Islamic Calligraphy written by Yasin Hamid Safadi and published by . This book was released on 1979 with total page 152 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: No civilization has revered the Word more deeply than Islam, and in none has calligraphy become so major and universal an art form. This superbly illustrated book, which includes examples of the work of many of the most famous calligraphers of all time, is the first to allow the reader to follow calligraphy from its origins in pre-Islamic times, through its reform with the invention of the strict rules which make it so disciplined an art and which led to its periods of greatest flowering, right up tot he innovations of the present century. But writing is not confined to the pen, inscriptions appear virtually everywhere--on furniture and textiles, on metalware and ceramics, and most strikingly of all, on buildings. The breadth of approach of text and illustrations makes this a book of equal interest to the Westerner and the Muslim, the traveller and the museum visitor, the student and the artist. -- Back cover


The History of Arabic Calligraphy - an Essay on Its Greatest Artists and Its Development

The History of Arabic Calligraphy - an Essay on Its Greatest Artists and Its Development

Author: Stefan Widany

Publisher: GRIN Verlag

Published: 2011-06

Total Pages: 29

ISBN-13: 3640938755

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Essay from the year 2010 in the subject Orientalism / Sinology - Arabistic, grade: 1,0, course: Historia y Cultura Árabo Islámica, language: English, abstract: In this Essay I will give a general overview of the development of Arabic Calligraphy from its beginning till today. The reader will soon learn that the evolution of this elaborate and complex art was always closely linked to great personalities. Artists that, in its early times, formed and systematized this art, later brought it to its peaks and in the last centuries revised and modernized it. Writing about the History of Calligraphy will therefor be writing about a line of persons that, step by step, on succeeded by another, defined Arabic calligraphy in their time and, in its whole, brought it to where it is today. As Calligraphy is the art of elaborated writing it is of course closely linked to script and language. The Arabic language developed already before the coming of Islam1, but Arabic calligraphy as an art with different styles, uses and a certain place in society, was a phenomena that appeared in the time of the first great empires. That is why I will focus on the development in and after this times. That means I'm not gonna investigate preislamic Arabic calligraphy or look at the development of the Arabic language and its aesthetic aspects (fields that would provide enough material for interesting researches for its own). As the art I will write about has been performed for many centuries and in a great extend, there are many old and new works in display around the work. In the appendix some of them will be shown, to give examples and make this essay a little more than just a historical investigation.


Book Synopsis The History of Arabic Calligraphy - an Essay on Its Greatest Artists and Its Development by : Stefan Widany

Download or read book The History of Arabic Calligraphy - an Essay on Its Greatest Artists and Its Development written by Stefan Widany and published by GRIN Verlag. This book was released on 2011-06 with total page 29 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Essay from the year 2010 in the subject Orientalism / Sinology - Arabistic, grade: 1,0, course: Historia y Cultura Árabo Islámica, language: English, abstract: In this Essay I will give a general overview of the development of Arabic Calligraphy from its beginning till today. The reader will soon learn that the evolution of this elaborate and complex art was always closely linked to great personalities. Artists that, in its early times, formed and systematized this art, later brought it to its peaks and in the last centuries revised and modernized it. Writing about the History of Calligraphy will therefor be writing about a line of persons that, step by step, on succeeded by another, defined Arabic calligraphy in their time and, in its whole, brought it to where it is today. As Calligraphy is the art of elaborated writing it is of course closely linked to script and language. The Arabic language developed already before the coming of Islam1, but Arabic calligraphy as an art with different styles, uses and a certain place in society, was a phenomena that appeared in the time of the first great empires. That is why I will focus on the development in and after this times. That means I'm not gonna investigate preislamic Arabic calligraphy or look at the development of the Arabic language and its aesthetic aspects (fields that would provide enough material for interesting researches for its own). As the art I will write about has been performed for many centuries and in a great extend, there are many old and new works in display around the work. In the appendix some of them will be shown, to give examples and make this essay a little more than just a historical investigation.


Muthanna/Mirror Writing in Islamic Calligraphy

Muthanna/Mirror Writing in Islamic Calligraphy

Author: Esra Akin-Kivanç

Publisher: Indiana University Press

Published: 2020-09-15

Total Pages: 372

ISBN-13: 0253049229

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Muthanna, also known as mirror writing, is a compelling style of Islamic calligraphy composed of a source text and its mirror image placed symmetrically on a horizontal or vertical axis. This style elaborates on various scripts such as Kufic, naskh, and muhaqqaq through compositional arrangements, including doubling, superimposing, and stacking. Muthanna is found in diverse media, ranging from architecture, textiles, and tiles to paper, metalwork, and woodwork. Yet despite its centuries-old history and popularity in countries from Iran to Spain, scholarship on the form has remained limited and flawed. Muthanna / Mirror Writing in Islamic Calligraphy provides a comprehensive study of the text and its forms, beginning with an explanation of the visual principles and techniques used in its creation. Author Esra Akin-Kivanc explores muthanna's relationship to similar forms of writing in Judaic and Christian contexts, as well as the specifically Islamic contexts within which symmetrically mirrored compositions reached full fruition, were assigned new meanings, and transformed into more complex visual forms. Throughout, Akin-Kivanc imaginatively plays on the implicit relationship between subject and object in muthanna by examining the point of view of the artist, the viewer, and the work of art. In doing so, this study elaborates on the vital links between outward form and inner meaning in Islamic calligraphy.


Book Synopsis Muthanna/Mirror Writing in Islamic Calligraphy by : Esra Akin-Kivanç

Download or read book Muthanna/Mirror Writing in Islamic Calligraphy written by Esra Akin-Kivanç and published by Indiana University Press. This book was released on 2020-09-15 with total page 372 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Muthanna, also known as mirror writing, is a compelling style of Islamic calligraphy composed of a source text and its mirror image placed symmetrically on a horizontal or vertical axis. This style elaborates on various scripts such as Kufic, naskh, and muhaqqaq through compositional arrangements, including doubling, superimposing, and stacking. Muthanna is found in diverse media, ranging from architecture, textiles, and tiles to paper, metalwork, and woodwork. Yet despite its centuries-old history and popularity in countries from Iran to Spain, scholarship on the form has remained limited and flawed. Muthanna / Mirror Writing in Islamic Calligraphy provides a comprehensive study of the text and its forms, beginning with an explanation of the visual principles and techniques used in its creation. Author Esra Akin-Kivanc explores muthanna's relationship to similar forms of writing in Judaic and Christian contexts, as well as the specifically Islamic contexts within which symmetrically mirrored compositions reached full fruition, were assigned new meanings, and transformed into more complex visual forms. Throughout, Akin-Kivanc imaginatively plays on the implicit relationship between subject and object in muthanna by examining the point of view of the artist, the viewer, and the work of art. In doing so, this study elaborates on the vital links between outward form and inner meaning in Islamic calligraphy.