Calligraphy, the art of beautiful handwriting was carefully nurtured in many parts of the world. In the Middle East, Arabic calligraphy found its way into every part of human life. It has moved beyond paper and incorporated itself into many different art forms and materials. Apart from religious texts and Quranic quotes, Arabic calligraphers also created a variety of nonreligious scripts like poems or aphorisms. And calligraphy letters were also frequently used as decoration for glass, metal and other household items.
History of Arabic Calligraphy
To become a calligrapher, one would have to spend years practising with a calligraphy master. During the training, pupils would learn to copy the models produced by their teachers. This process would last for years, but once the pupils have mastered the technique, they were allowed to move on and create new works.
The best calligraphers had a special status and were always highly regarded in society. The best of the best were often commissioned to create elegant manuscripts. Their wealthy clientele included a lot of Middle Eastern rulers, and the best calligraphers were often permanently employed by them to work on the…
