SOAS Research Online

Abstract

The first part of the thesis deals with the development of modern painting in the Islamic world according to Western concepts and styles. It traces the inception of Western aesthetics from the 19th century onwards and touches on the political, social and economic determinants that aided their introduction in the following countries: Turkey, Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Iran, Syria, Jordan, Palestine, Sudan, and the Arabian Peninsula. The second part of the thesis analyzes the movements which sought to establish a modem art style in the Islamic world that would confirm a national artistic identity. It follows the different art movements which undertook this quest that eventually led to the development of the contemporary Calligraphic School of Art. It discloses the factors and artists which induced its inception. It establishes the main styles and various branches of the modem Calligraphic School of Art, including in-depth analysis and critique of each style, sub-style and its adherents. The placement of the Calligraphic School within the scope of international art is also mooted. The thesis ends by establishing a continuity between traditional Islamic art and the contemporary calligraphic school of art in the Islamic world.