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Traces of the Calligrapher: Islamic Calligraphy in Practice, c. 1600-1900 and Writing the Word of God: Calligraphy and the Qur´an
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On view through February 3, 2008 at the Caroline Wiess Law Building
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![Pen box with hinged inkwell, inscribed with a prayer in the form of the tugra and the phrase "He [God] is" (huwa)](http://www.mfah.org/images/art/art2118.jpg)
Turkey, Pen box with hinged inkwell, inscribed with a prayer in the form of the tugra and the phrase "He [God] is" (huwa), 1850
Private Collection
In Islamic culture, it is well known that calligraphy has retained its status as the quintessential art form, and that calligraphers have been among the most highly esteemed artists. "The first thing created by God was the pen," according to a Qur´anic dictum, and the practice of calligraphy constituted an expression of piety. Acquiring skill in beautiful writing was an exercise that expanded into another range of values: calligraphy could convey the ideas of a person, by putting them in writing, and also record his or her moral fiber for posterity. Calligraphy became a hallmark of high culture, a trace of its maker.
Traces of the Calligrapher brings together exceptional works of the seventeenth through the nineteenth centuries from Iran, India, and Turkey. Drawn from a private collection in Houston, the exhibition comprises pens, pen boxes, chests, tables, paper scissors, knives, burnishers, and book bindings of superb manufacture and design. These objects are presented with contemporary examples of calligraphy that were executed as practice exercises, occasional works, wall hangings, and manuscripts. The collection is unrivaled in the world, and only the Topkapi Palace Museum in Istanbul houses objects of equal renown. The exhibition also features key works from the collection of the Department of Islamic and Later Indian Art at the Harvard University Art Museums.
Traces of the Calligrapher serves to reconstruct the intimate world of the calligrapher, bringing together the "tools of the trade"—works of art in their own right—and the exquisite manifestations that result from the utilization of these functional objects. The exhibition offers new insights into the environment in which the calligrapher worked during the early modern period of Islamic culture.
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These exhibitions are organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and Harvard University Art Museums.
Generous support is provided by:
Cathy and Vahid Kooros
Oxus Energy, LLC
The Hagop Kevorkian Fund
The Kooros Family: Lily, Hamid, Shirin, and Ali
Mr. and Mrs. Ali Ebrahimi
Douglas Jaffe, III ~ Horseshoe Bay Resort
Mr. and Mrs. Pat R. Rutherford, Jr.
Mr. Kay-Ghobad "Kiddie" Zafar
Mr. Mike Hoomani
The Seaver Institute
Fariba and Rainer Buchecker
Standard Oilfield Services - Baku
Related Events:
Treasures of the Islamic World Gala
At the Caroline Wiess Law Building
November 1, 2007 6:30 PM
Artist Talk and Demonstration
At the Caroline Wiess Law Building
October 28, 2007 2:00 PM
Friday Afternoon Lecture: Exhibition Vs Revelation: Encountering The Sacred In The Art Museum
At the Caroline Wiess Law Building
January 11, 2008 1:30 PM
Friday Afternoon Lecture: Spiritual Geometries and Bodily Instruments: The Art and Practice of Islamic Calligraphy
At the Caroline Wiess Law Building
November 2, 2007 1:30 PM
Gallery Tours of the Exhibitions
At the Caroline Wiess Law Building
December 27, 2007 3:00 PM
, 7:00 PM
December 29, 2007 3:00 PM
Saturday Afternoon Lecture: Spiritual Geometries and Bodily Instruments: The Art and Practice of Islamic Calligraphy
At the Caroline Wiess Law Building
November 3, 2007 4:00 PM
Saturday Afternoon Lectures: Exhibition Vs Revelation: Encountering The Sacred In The Art Museum
At the Caroline Wiess Law Building
January 12, 2008 4:00 PM
Special Cultural Presentation
At the Caroline Wiess Law Building
October 31, 2007 10:15 AM
, 11:30 AM
Special Lecture: Sufis, Shi´ites, and Shahs: The Great Shrines of Iran, 1500-1650
At the Caroline Wiess Law Building
March 13, 2008 6:30 PM
UBS Fine Arts Fridays
At the Caroline Wiess Law Building
November 2, 2007 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
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