Various Calligraphy Writing Styles

Calligraphy Lettering – Browse Various Calligraphy Writing Styles from regions
of the world.

Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, East Asian and Old English Calligraphy.

Arabic Calligraphy

Example of an ijazah, or diploma of competency in Arabic calligraphy. Thuluth and nashk script. Written by ‘Ali Ra’if Efendi in 1206/1791. 28 (w) x 21 (h) cm.

The top and middle panels contain a Saying (Hadith) attributed to the Prophet
Muhammad which reads: Secret charity quenches the wrath of the Lord. / The best
of you is the best for his family. / The best of the followers is Uways.

A page of an Ilkhanid Koran, Il-Khanat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Calligraphy of the “Basmala” phrase
Left: “Wa innahu min Sulaym?n” (“And it is from Solomon” as the Basmala first appears in the Qur’an in a letter from Solomon).

 

 

 

 

 

 

East Asian Calligraphy

Chinese calligraphy of mixed styles written by Song Dynasty (1051-1108 CE) poet Mifu. For centuries, the Chinese literati were expected to master the art of calligraphy.

 

 

 

 

 

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Cry for noble Saich?, written by Emperor Saga of Japan upon the death of the Buddhist monk Saich? in the 9th century. The influence of Chinese calligraphic styles had weakened after the Heian period, with this text as one of the few examples of the transformation to a native Japanese style..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buiseonrando, which was written and painted by Kim Jeonghee. This original
Korean calligraphy is called Chusache, which was named after his pen name.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Western Calligraphy

 

 

 

 

 

 

Calligraphy in a Latin Bible of AD 1407 on display in Malmesbury Abbey,
Wiltshire, England. The Bible was hand written in Belgium, by Gerard Brils, for
reading aloud in a monastery.