Calligraphy is a visual art related to writing. It is the design and execution of lettering with a pen, ink brush, or other writing instrument. Contemporary calligraphic practice can be defined as "the art of giving form to signs in an expressive, harmonious, and skillful manner".
Wang Xizhi was a Chinese politician and writer from the Jin dynasty (266–420) known for his mastery of Chinese calligraphy. He is often regarded as the greatest calligrapher in Chinese history. His most famous work, composed in 353, is the Lantingji xu.
Japanese calligraphy, also called shūji (習字), is a form of calligraphy, or artistic writing, of the Japanese language. Written Japanese was originally based on Chinese characters only, but the advent of the hiragana and katakana Japanese syllabaries resulted in intrinsically Japanese calligraphy styles.
Hassan Massoudy, born in 1944, is an Iraqi painter and calligrapher, considered by the French writer Michel Tournier as the "greatest living calligrapher", who currently lives in Paris. His work has influenced a generation of calligraffiti artists.
Sheikh Hamdullah (1436–1520), born in Amasya, Ottoman Empire, was a master of Islamic calligraphy.
The Society of Scribes & Illuminators is an organisation dedicated to the promotion and development of the arts of calligraphy and illumination.
Towhidi Tabari is an Iranian artist.
Augustin François Guille, called Archiguille was a French painter.
Hâfiz Osman (1642–1698) was an Ottoman calligrapher noted for improving the script and for developing a layout template for the hilye which became the classical approach to page design.
The Contemporary Museum of Calligraphy, dedicated to the art of calligraphy, is situated in Sokolniki Park, Moscow. The museum collection features calligraphy masterpieces from 65 countries. The concept was elaborated by Sokolniki Exhibition and Convention Centre and the National Union of Calligraphers. The museum was officially opened on August 14, 2008.
Qorban Ali Ajalli Vaseq is a master calligrapher, painter, poet and educator, noted for founding the "Gol Gasht" style of calligraphy, characterised by a dense and interlocking play of the Arabic script, a distinctive style now regularly used by Arab and Iranian calligraphers in artworks.
International Exhibition of Calligraphy — a project organized by Contemporary museum of calligraphy, with the support of the Museum-educational complex Sokolniki. Its aim is the promotion of the art of calligraphy and its educational significance through exhibitions and festivals.
Mehmed Shevki Efendi was a prominent Ottoman calligrapher. He is known for his Thuluth-Naskh works, and his style developed into the Shevki Mektebi school, which many contemporary calligraphers in the style take as a reference.
Nakajima Hiroyuki is a contemporary Japanese artist and calligrapher from Chiba, Japan. He is best known for his modern interpretation of Japanese calligraphy (shodo) which he calls Sho art, a technique which combines the traditional elements of Japanese calligraphy (shodo) with the movements of tai chi and inspired by the symbols of zen and nature. Nakajima currently has studios in Chiba, Japan and Milan, Italy.
Yang Jiechang is a contemporary artist of Chinese origin. He is known for his proficiency in traditional Chinese media.
David Annwn, also known as David Annwn Jones, is an Anglo-Welsh poet, critic, teacher, playwright, and magic lanternist.
Wen C. Fong was a Chinese-American historian of East Asian art. He was the Edwards S. Sanford Professor of Art History at Princeton University, where he taught Chinese art history for 45 years. In 1959 he co-founded the first doctoral program in Chinese art and archaeology in the United States, which was later expanded to include Japan. He served as chairman of Princeton's Department of Art and Archaeology, and as consultative chairman for Asian art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
Hans-Joachim Burgert (1928–2009) was a calligrapher, sculptor, and educator.
Mouneer Al-Shaarani is a Syrian graphic artist specialized in Arabic calligraphy. Al-Shaarani is known as calligrapher, graphic designer and writer about Arabic calligraphy and Arab Islamic art. He has designed several Arabic typefaces for book covers or other graphic creations. His work has been exhibited in several Arab countries, Malaysia, Europe, Australia and the United States and is internationally present in collections of contemporary Arabic art. Between 1985 and 2007, he lived and worked in Cairo, Egypt, and later returned to live in Damascus.
Kōji Kakinuma is a Japanese calligrapher.
