Foreword

Marzio, Peter C.

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Foreword

Peter C. Marzio

Writing the Word of God: Calligraphy and the Qurʾan

The exhibition and publication Writing the Word of God: Calligraphy and the Qurʾan would not have been possible without the commitment and support of Vahid Kooros. His dedication to expanding awareness of Islamic art provided the main impetus for these efforts. The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, is also grateful to him for soliciting the...

Author

Peter C. Marzio

PublisherThe Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

https://doi.org/10.37862/aaeportal.00180.002

Stable URL: https://aaeportal.com/?id=-18101

Foreword

The exhibition and publication Writing the Word of God: Calligraphy and the Qurʾan would not have been possible without the commitment and support of Vahid Kooros. His dedication to expanding awareness of Islamic art provided the main impetus for these efforts. The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, is also grateful to him for soliciting the involvement of David J. Roxburgh, whose insightful essay fills these pages.

Many individuals and organizations helped to make this exhibition and publication a reality. Generous support was provided by The Kooros Family—Lily and Hamid, Shirin, Ali—, The Hagop Kevorkian Fund, Mr. and Mrs. Ali Ebrahimi, Mr. Douglas Jaffe III, Mr. and Mrs. Pat R. Rutherford, Jr., Mr. Mike Hoomani, The Seaver Institute, Mr. “Kiddie” Zafar, and Fariba and Rainer Buchecker. We are grateful for the loan of several objects from the Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Harvard University Art Museums, and to the anonymous private collector whose superb folios form the core of this exhibition.

The calligraphy shown in these pages demonstrates the breadth and beauty of Islamic calligraphy across several centuries and two continents. The examples are stunning and, in many cases, quite rare. The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, is pleased to have the opportunity to showcase this fine private collection. This exhibition sets the stage for the museum's initiative to build its own collection of art from the Islamic world—an initiative that will aid the museum in expanding its reach as a place for all people and in promoting a deeper understanding of world cultures through art.

—Peter C. Marzio, Director
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

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Book details

BOOKWriting the Word of God: Calligraphy and the Qurʾan

David J. Roxburgh

https://doi.org/10.37862/aaeportal.00180

Stable URL: https://aaeportal.com/?id=-18099

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 book demonstrates the breadth and beauty of Islamic calligraphy across centuries and continents, as seen in rare early folios of the Qur’an.

Noted scholar David J. Roxburgh begins by discussing the Qur’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 Qur’an; reforms of calligraphy in the 10th century; and the great master Islamic calligraphers, in particular Yaqut al-Musta‘simi. The images of folios and bifolios validate Roxburgh’s conclusion that “the miracle of the text of the Qur’an found its equal in the technical mastery of the calligrapher’s practice, a miracle in its own right.”

Author

David J. Roxburgh

PublisherThe Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

Print publication date October 2008 (out of print)

Print ISBN 9780300142006

EISBN 9780300247978

Illustrations 23

Print Status out of print

Publisher (out of print)

WorldCat

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