Calligraphy holds a place of honour in the Islamic art as a forefront of visual expression. Islamic art is mostly calligraphy and geometrical designs. Calligraphy was used as an ornament and developed into a very sophisticated art.
Muslims believe that Quran is the word of God and when reading the Quran it is God speaking to man directly. What can be more beautiful and spiritual than the word of God? Quran is the main inspiration for Islamic calligraphy.
Islamic calligraphy is one of the most sophisticated art form in the world. It is a visual expression of the deepest reverence to the spiritual world. Arabic Calligraphy is an art of giving form to letters and words in an expressive, harmonious and skillful manner.
Over the centuries calligraphy was used as a medium of art. Quran has been historically hand written in beautiful decorative ways. The walls of mosques have been scattered by Quranic verses and chapters.
The artists in presenting the Arabic script ornamentally may use brushstrokes or other enhancements.
The great artist Pablo Picasso famously said, “If I had known there was
such
a thing as Islamic calligraphy, I would never
have started to paint. I have strived to reach the highest levels of artistic
mastery, but I found that Islamic calligraphy was there ages before I was.”
Paolo Monti | Wikipedia Commons | Released under Creative Commons BY-SA 4.0
Islamic Art and Calligraphy 