If I were a museum curator, I would mount a show
This would be in it. Look, her tail is a flame!
Calligraphic lion. Ahmed Hilmi. Otoman Turkey, 1913. Ink and watercolor on paper © Nour Foundation, from elogedelart
Cute Animals in Serious Art
Calligraphic lion. Ahmed Hilmi. Otoman Turkey, 1913. Ink and watercolor on paper © Nour Foundation, from elogedelart
I enjoy looking at this piece, and I have several times. I just haven't known what to say about it, besides the boring, I enjoy looking at it.
ReplyDeleteThis is very cool! Do you know what it says?
ReplyDeleteFRESCA (me) says:
ReplyDeleteThanks, Deanna!
Blogger could have a "like" button for stuff like this…
BINK: Oh, good question!
"I looked it up, and
The lion is composed of invocations to ‘Ali, one of whose common titles is ‘The Lion of God’. The work was made by a Shiite or a member of the mystical Bektashi order. In this order, the five claws on the lion’s paws are associated with Allah, Muhammad, ‘Ali, Hasan and Husayn, and its red tongue signifies that ‘Ali was the spokesman of Muhammad."
---according to
http://www.nieuwekerk.nl/en/#/en/pers/passie_voor_perfectie/beeldmateriaal.htm:
This is brilliant (of course the calligrapher in me would love it!). It makes me think of a more whimsical, minimal Roman alphabet sampling of calligraphic animals. And not as in the Roman hand but rather Roman meaning Western). Does that make sense? I believe I have suddenly forgotten how to think and type. Thank you for finding and sharing this image. Here's my link: https://www.behance.net/gallery/16796413/Calligraphy-Animals
ReplyDelete