Calligraphy
An ijazah written in Arabic certifying compet-
ence in calligraphy, 1206 AH/1791 AD.
Calligraphy
(from Greek κάλλος kallos
"beauty" + γραφή graphẽ "writing") is the art
of writing (Mediavilla 1996: 17). A contem-
porary definition of calligraphic practice is
"the art of giving form to signs in an express-
ive, harmonious and skillful manner" (Me-
diavilla 1996: 18). The story of writing is one
of aesthetic evolution framed within the tech-
nical skills, transmission speed(s) and materi-
als limitations of a person, time and place
(Diringer 1968: 441). A style of writing is de-
scribed as a script, hand or alphabet (Fraser
& Kwiatkowski 2006; Johnston 1909: Plate
6).
Modern calligraphy ranges from function-
al hand lettered inscriptions and designs to
fine art pieces where the abstract expression
of the handwritten mark may or may not su-
persede the legibility of the letters (Me-
diavilla 1996). Classical calligraphy differs
from typography and non-classical hand-let-
tering, though a calligrapher may create all
of these; characters are historically discip-
lined yet fluid and spontaneous, improvised
at the moment of writing (Pott 2006 & 2005;
Zapf 2007 & 2006). Calligraphy continues to
flourish in the forms of wedding and event in-
vitations, font design/ typography, original
hand-lettered logo design, religious art, vari-
ous announcements/ graphic design/ commis-
sioned calligraphic art, cut stone inscriptions
and memorial documents. Also props and
moving
images
for
film and television,
testimonials, birth and death certificates/
maps, and other works involving writing (see
for example Letter Arts Review; Propfe 2005;
Geddes & Dion 2004).
Western calligraphy
Modern Western calligraphy by Denis Brown
Historical evolution
Western calligraphy is recognizable by the
use of the Roman alphabet, which evolved
from the Phoenician, Greek, and Etruscan al-
phabets. The first Roman alphabet appeared
about 600 BC, in Rome, and by the first cen-
tury developed into Roman imperial capitals
carved on stones, Rust