000			03831nam a22003377a 4500
005			20220904144007.0
008			220904s2014 enka|||| b||| 001 0 eng d
020			_a9780500517666 _qhardback
020			_a0500517665 _qhardback
040			_aEG-CaTKH _beng _cEG-CaTKH _erda
082	0	0	_a492.711 MO.C 2014 _223
100	1		_aMoustafa, Ahmed, _d1943- _eauthor.
245	1	4	_aThe cosmic script : _bsacred geometry and the science of Arabic penmanship / _cAhmed Moustafa, Stefan Sperl.
264		1	_aLondon : _bThames and Hudson, _c2014.
300			_a2 volumes : _billustrations (chiefly color) ; _c29 x 34 cm
336			_atext _btxt _2rdacontent
336			_astill image _bsti _2rdacontent
337			_aunmediated _bn _2rdamedia
338			_avolume _bnc _2rdacarrier
504			_aIncludes bibliographical references (volume 2, pages 666-675) and indexes.
505			_aVolume one Sources and principles of the geometry of letters -- volume two From geometric pattern to living form.
520			_aA fully illustrated, landmark study of Islamic calligraphy traced back to its deepest historical and cultural roots Explores the sacred geometry of each letter form of the Arabic alphabet as attributed to renowned 10th-century scribe Ibn Muqla Traces Ibn Muqla's system to the cross-cultural encounter between Greek learning and the scientific, artistic, and philosophical pursuits of classical Islam A richly illustrated, two-volume presentation of decades of research with more than 430 full-color illustrations Calligraphy is the central visual art of Islam. At its core resides a perennial challenge: What letter shapes traced by human hands are rightful bearers of the divine message? The answer lies in the "Proportioned Script" of Ibn Muqla, renowned scribe, man of letters, and minister under the great Abbasid Caliphate in 10th-century Baghdad. Emphasizing harmony and geometry, Ibn Muqla's system has governed the practice of Arabic scribal art up to the present day. In this two-volume, richly illustrated study, Ahmed Moustafa and Stefan Sperl analyze each letter form of Ibn Muqla's perfected penmanship and share their decades of research on Islamic letter shapes, revealing the history, linguistics, philosophy, theology, and sacred geometry that underlie this spiritual art form. In volume one the authors reveal the trilogy of prophecy, penmanship, and geometry at the foundation of Ibn Muqla's Proportioned Script. Providing a fully illustrated analysis of Islamic calligraphy's geometrical principles as transmitted in surviving writings and key manuscript sources, they examine the geometric grid of square, circle, and hexagon that informs the pen strokes of each letter shape and explore how the golden ratio appears within the matrix of the grid. They examine the development of Ibn Muqla's system in the context of the sciences, arts, and penmanship of 10th-century Baghdad and trace its origins to the cross-cultural encounter between Greek learning and the scientific, artistic, and philosophical pursuits of classical Islam. In volume two the authors analyze the calligraphic forms of each letter of the Arabic alphabet. They decode the sacred geometry of each form as it appears within the geometric grid, providing letter samples from ancient sources. Unearthing the theoretical and scientific foundations of Arabic calligraphy, this landmark study examines the aesthetic implications of Ibn Muqla's theory for the visual, verbal, and aural arts of Islam as well as the Islamic mystical tradition.
650		0	_aWriting, Arabic.
650		0	_aPenmanship, Arabic.
650		0	_aArabic language _xWriting _xHistory.
650		0	_aCivilization, Arab.
650		0	_aGeometry in art.
700	1		_aSperl, Stefan, _d1950- _eauthor.
942			_2ddc _cBK
998			_amona.romia _bP _d20220904
999			_c1297 _d1297