Talk:Kufic

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[edit] Kufic encyclopedia

The Kufic style of calligraphy can be regarded as the unique masterpiece of human calligraphy, because this style has reached every corner of the world. The Kufic style of calligraphy could be found everywhere ranging from the margins of Greek (Byzantine) icons and the engravings in French and Italian Churches to the inscriptions on coins and the buildings of African people. On the one hand Kufic is the ancient writing style of the Middle Easterners and on the other hand, the people of India and China have contributed to its spread.

The very unique, extraordinary, and highly impressive visual capabilities of the Kufic style of calligraphy, as well as its mysterious and profound quality which creates a kind of dynamic energy, and its potentials to produce a variety of attractive forms based on the primary Kufic style, are only a few characteristics of this type of calligraphy. Due to its infinite mysteries, the primary Kufic style (highly emphasized here) as being cryptic, seems not to have been deciphered yet and may never be.

One of the open secrets is the special pen used in the writing of early Kufic. Researchers like Martin Lings and Annemarie Schimmel believe that Kufic calligraphers used to write with tools other than the pen (and possibly used tools like modern matrix).

Mr. Seyed Mohamad Vahid Mosavi Jazayeri after years of research, in the first volume of the "Kufic Encyclopedia", compiled and published under the title of "Learning How to Write the Primary Kufic Style of Calligraphy" in a new method has proved that early Kufic writing involved the use of a sharp and exclusive special pen. With the use of this special pen, the author has made possible the teaching of primary Kufic calligraphy.

The 16.5 cm 35 cm book, spread over 216 pages, of which 86 pages could be a called a unique color album with different styles of Kufic calligraphy, has an exquisite cover. The rest of the pages are in double color. The samples presented have a rich variety including copies of the Qur’an, images from prayer niche (mihrab), pottery of Neishabour, coins of different eras, trays, astrolabes and etc…

The self-teaching section of this volume has 41 pages, at the end of which the reader learns about the unique case (in terms of form) of a Kufic manuscript. The preface and introduction of the book are also rich in content.

This valuable Persian language book features complete explanations of the samples presented, including the color and black and white pages, both in Persian and English. It also includes an English abstract of the first volume.

For the information of our readers, the second volume of this encyclopedia on "the Form Analysis of Primary Kufic Calligraphy" is in its final states. We hope that we will be able to use your capability and experience in preparing the future volumes of the "Kufic Encyclopedia". Accordingly, we look forward to esteem your guidelines and views.

The price of Volume 1 of "Kufic Encyclopedia" is 55 Euro. A special discount is granted, if more copies are ordered.

• In addition, the "Selected Typographic Works on Bisme Allah Arrahman Arrahim", which is another valuable work by the author of the "Kufic Encyclopedia", has been published in winter 2006:

www.kuficpedia.com

Please do not hesitate to ask me if you have any question.

Regards, Director for Coordination and Sales of the Kufic Encyclopedia

[edit] Possible moving text?

Perhaps all of the above would be more appropriate in the main article? Perhaps the Director did not get the idea of the wiki. --Mashford 00:15, 28 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Ancient Kufic vs Square Kufic

Perhaps the article should more clearly distinguish the ancient Kufic script style of early manuscripts; and the present day stylised square Kufic (or rectangular Kufic, geometric Kufic) used in present day designs and logos.

With the current text, it is not always clear when the article is discussing one and when it is discussing the other. Jheald (talk) 08:08, 2 June 2008 (UTC)