· Minister Mahesh Sharma inaugurates exhibition of
Arabic-Persian inscriptions
New Delhi, May 15: Age-old aesthetics of
calligraphy and craftsmanship combined in a rare show that began in the capital
this evening when Union Minister of State for Tourism and Culture Dr Mahesh
Sharma inaugurated a two-month exhibition of Islamic-style writing on objects
of daily use.
Displaying 56 utility artefacts from the past five
centuries, ‘Art of Calligraphy and Beyond: Arabic-Persian Inscriptions on
Decorative Arts objects’ at National Museum (NM) focuses on tastefully done
inscriptions on metal-ware, wood, textiles and semi-precious stones — all of
them from its own reserve collections.
The minister, after taking a round of the 59-day
exhibition, said sought to reinforce the country’s syncretism. “This great
institute (NM) is doing a wonderful work to preserve our art and culture with
this calligraphy exhibition,” he wrote on the visitors’ register.
NM’s Director-General Sanjiv Mittal, who
accompanied the minister along the gallery pointed out that the show curated by
his curators Dr Anamika Pathak and Mr Zahid Ali Ansari focused on inscriptions
beyond the usual medium of paper and architecture.
Dr Pathak, who is
NM curator (decorative arts) explained to the minister how the show has its
artefacts arranged in five main groups: writing implements, religion, faith,
tradition and trade.
All what is
written on the exhibits has been made intelligible to the general visitor
as Dr Naseem Akhtar, an authority on Arabic-Persian language, has
transcribed all the inscriptions at the gallery designed by NM’s Layout Artist
Kuldeep Pokhriyal and Priya.
The exhibition, which will be on till July 12,
is not just about Arabic-Persian inscriptions on a set of artefacts, the oldest
among them being from 1494. Several other qualities make it unique. For
instance, it shows different forms of surface ornamentation and aesthetic
values.
“Sometimes it increases its value, especially when
the name of the patron or calligrapher is inscribed on the object,” pointed out
Dr Pathak, NM curator (decorative arts).
For instance, a brass shallow bowl from circa 1495
CE (the oldest at the show) belongs to Sultan Sikander Lodi who ruled Delhi for
28 years from 1489. Interestingly, it informs the name of the calligrapher—as
Mohmood Bin Mahammad Bin Haji Mahmood Farsi.
Similarly, a brass globe from the period of Mughal
emperor Shajahan (1627-58) informs the maker’s name: Mohammad Ibn Illahdad
Humayuni Lahori.
What’s more, the works are not confined to paper.
One can find beautiful inscriptions on objects such as metal-ware pen-cases,
bowls, plates, alams, wooden boxes, mendicant bowls, amulets, bracelets,
textiles and costumes.
Twenty artefacts at the exhibition are “very
important”, said Mr Ansari, assistant curator (decorative arts). For, these
provide details such as the name of the calligrapher, the date of manufacturing
or/and the name of the owner. The objects have been decorated with different
techniques such as koftagari or damascening, bidri, niello, engraving, writing,
printing and embroidering on textiles.
The calligraphy exhibition got on a day before the
concluding date of another temporary show — on the culture of India’s biggest
tribal community. Named ‘Cadence and Counterpoint:
Documenting Santal Musical Traditions’, the 32-day exhibition has 44
instruments and a film on their culture, besides their photographs over
six-and-a-half decades from 1950.
