The art of calligraphy on a dried leaf, was practised widely in Ottoman Turkey. This was difficult & delicate work. The leaf was dried, & the tissue removed to leave the skeletal membrane, with gold ink applied over it.
For Ramadan, here are 20 exquisite examples…
A thread…
1/ Calligraphy Leaf
Ottoman Turkey
19th century
Golden calligraphy on a tree leaf from the Ottoman Era
Many featured verses written from the Qu’ran, Hadith prayers and poetry.
Chestnut leaf inscribed with a Qur’anic verse from Surat al-Isra’ (“The Night Journey,” Q17:80), which reads: “And say, ‘Lord grant me a good entrance and a goodly exit, and sustain me with Your power.”
Arabic composition applied on to a natural leaf in gold, the text in the form of a lion incorporating verses praising the Imam 'Ali by al-Sherif al-Murtaza
Arabic composition applied onto a natural leaf in gold, the text incorporating the Bismallah and invocations to God and the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) within a stylised Sufi cap
Arabic composition applied onto a natural leaf in gold, the text incorporating the words Allah, Angels, the Prophets, the Day of Judgment in the form of a sailing boat with seven oars, one for each of the Seven Sleepers
A rare calligraphic composition in gold on a large natural leaf incorporating the hilyeh, the physical attributes of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) signed by Muhammad Helmi, a pupil of Mustafa Izzet Effendi
Text of the Bismallah (‘In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful’) is made to fit inside the natural shape of the leaf. The vertical strokes of the letters follow the line of the stem of the leaf
Arabic composition applied onto a natural leaf in gold. During this period, Ottoman calligraphers were interested in producing compositions which took various shapes.
Scholars of Islamic culture contributed significantly to botany, herbals & healing, improving knowledge of plants. They classified plants into those that grow from cuttings, those that grow from seed, & those that grow spontaneously
A thread on botany & art in Islamic culture…
1/ The Holy Qur’an provided the initial impetus for the investigation of herbs by Islamic writers, as plants are named in the depiction of Paradise & are used as signs of the Creator’s power and majesty. Inspired by their faith, Muslims worked extensively in this area
2/ Muslim scholars also commissioned botanical studies due to the need for research on medicinal plants, to respond to medical needs & contribute to the physical & mental health of the community. They created the context of the advent of pharmacology in Islamic civilization
The art of Henna has been practiced in South Asia, Africa & the Middle East for over 5000 years. The botanical name of the henna plant is Lawsonia inermis. A member of the Loosestrife family, henna originally comes from Egypt.
A thread on the art of henna in Muslim cultures...
1/ The English name henna comes from the Arabic term الحناء (al-ḥinnā). The name henna also refers to the dye prepared from the henna plant and the art of temporary tattooing from those dyes. Henna has been used for centuries to dye skin, hair & fingernails as well as fabrics
2/ Modern scientists discovered that henna is antibacterial, antifungal, & anti-hemorrhagic & it has historically been used for medicinal purposes. However, although the use of henna has branched out since its discovery in North Africa its most popular use is still beautification
Ismail al-Jazari, a Muslim inventor from the 12th century is known as the "father of robotics" due to his groundbreaking work in the field of automata, which are self-operating machines.
A thread on Ismail al-Jazari, engineering & robotics…
1/ While robotics is considered a relatively new field of science, with the public’s consensus that it is the creation of 20th-century scientists, it would be surprising to know that the field has its roots in the medieval era nearly a millennium ago, with Ismail Al Jazari
2/ Ismail Al Jazari gained fame for his extraordinary inventions, encompassing a wide spectrum of marvels. His repertoire included robots programmed to provide guests with towels, programmable on-off switches for fountains, automated mechanical clocks & much more!
A Candle Clock from a copy of al-Jazaris treatise on automata