The History of Calligraphy

Calligraphy is a visual art that incorporates writing in beautiful, intricate designs. It has a long history, tracing its roots back to prehistoric mark-making and primitive lettering. The skill and artistry of the penman can make a work of calligraphy as beautiful as any painting. As it evolved, calligraphy developed its own unique styles, influenced by culture and religion as well as the physical properties of paper and ink. The ability to create and control a brush stroke was important to the development of calligraphy, as it enabled the artist to express themselves on paper in ways that were not possible with writing. The history of calligraphy is rich and varied. The books below offer a glimpse into the history of this fascinating art form.

The oldest known inscription in Chinese written script dates to the first century B.C.E. It is a simple sequence of characters, called a graph, that is remarkably precise in its execution. While the ink employed was probably lampblack, a black sooty residue resulting from burning pine resin or oil under a hood, the artists of the time knew how to manipulate it to create varying hues and densities of pigment, as well as to smudge it with a variety of pens. This allowed them to reproduce the nuances of an original handwriting, such as the speed of the brushstroke, whether it was executed with delicacy or force, and the degree to which it reflected the character's temperament and moral qualities.

As print became more widespread, the creation of illuminated manuscripts began to decline and calligraphy was relegated to the status of a decorative technique used to embellish texts. Calligraphers continued to practice their craft and, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it experienced a revival, aided by the Arts and Crafts movement – with its influence on William Morris’ aesthetics and philosophy – as well as a revival of interest in Eastern cultures.

Unlike most other books on calligraphy, this one examines the history of the practice through the medium of manuscripts, with over 70 full page illustrations of pages from medieval bibles, psalters and books of hours (with many enlargements so that the calligraphy can be studied in detail). It looks at the different styles of calligraphy from the first century to the end of the fifteenth, with special attention to the thirteen principal medieval scripts: roman Rustic, uncial, Carolingian minuscule, Early Gothic, Luxeuil minuscule, and Gothic ligatures. The book also examines the techniques of calligraphy, with a look at quills and vellum/parchment and the use of pigments and gold.

The author of this lucid and beautifully illustrated book divides the history of calligraphy into four broad areas: Eastern, Southern Asian, Islamic and Western. He explores each area with a focus on specific styles, explaining how the script was created and used, and how the different characteristics of ink, paper and brushes affected its appearance. He concludes that the best way to learn about a style is to study examples, and he provides plenty of these in this volume.