Art of Calligraphy and Beyond (Arabic and Persian Inscriptions on Objects of Decorative Art, National Museum)

Language: English
Pages: 150 (Throughout Color Illustrations)

Foreword
The museum's main responsibility is to collect and preserve arte facts, carry out research and from time to time mount temporary and permanent exhibitions for public viewing. An exhibition of fifty-five arte facts titled, "Art of Calligraphy and Beyond: Arabic-Persian Inscriptions on Decorative arts object" was mounted at the National Museum, New Delhi in 2015.
Calligraphy, the art of fancy lettering of a script, is one of the most important aspects of different cultures. Various arte facts, in Islamic culture, portray the beautiful Arabic-Persian inscriptions, which were artistically blended with flora-fauna designs and add charm to objects. The exhibition mainly focused on the vast scope of a calligrapher's / craftsman's work, which is not confined to paper and architecture but also appeared on beautiful arte facts such as metal ware, pen-cases, bowls, plates, alams , wooden boxes, mendicant bowls, amulets, textiles and costumes.
The exhibition was curated by Dr. Anamika Pathak and Shri Zahid Ali Ansari and layout was designed by Shri Kuldeep Prasad and Ms. Priya, which was mounted under the guidance of Shri K.K.S. Deori. My appreciation and gratitude for Shri R.P. Savita and Anand Kumar who, along with their team had conserved and restored the arte facts and brought them to a presentable state for the exhibition. This researched catalogue is an important work which has been authored by Dr. Anamika Pathak, Dr. Naseem Akhtar, an authority on Arabic-Persian language and Shri Zahid Ali Ansari.
I do hope that this catalogue will enrich the readers' experience of the art of calligraphy and create an interest among students and researchers for a deeper understanding of history, art and calligraphy in Islamic culture.
Introduction
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