THE COLLECTION OF THE GAZI HUSREV BEG LIBRARY The Golden Thread of Calligraphy

The Golden Thread, the exhibition organized by the Gazi Husrev Beg Library is on view at the Gallery of the Sarajevo Municipality Novi Grad. The Gazi Husrev Beg Library, founded in 1537, is one of the oldest in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It has one of the largest and most important collections of oriental manuscripts in Europe. This institution tends to exhibit the works from its Ethnology Collection. Now, we have an opportunity to see the calligraphic works by Bosnian calligraphers, from the 19th and early 20th centuries.

This period was very fruitful when it comes to calligraphic production. Ottoman rule in Bosnia has been replaced by the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, in 1878. That complicated the situation in the culture field, but without significant consequences for calligraphy, which remained the dominant art among Bosnian Muslims for years to come. After all, in the 19th and early 20th centuries, some of the most significant calligraphy schools appeared.

The exhibition presents works by Husein Rakim Islamovic, Abdulah Ajna Hasagic, Ali Serif Faginovic, Muhamed Akif Hadzihuseinovic, Mehmed beg Kapetanovic Ljubusak, Ahmed Seid Vilic, Muhamed Mujagic and several works by unknown authors. Each of the presented calligraphies has a specificity, so Ahmed Seid Vilic was a master of writing calligraphy in the form of tugra. For the first time, the manuscripts by Abdulah Ajna Hasagic are on view to the public. He was the founder of the first school for calligraphy in the 19th century, attended by many great calligraphers. He was especially good at small letters and knew Naskh and Taliq styles very well. The exhibition also features two calligraphies made with golden thread by Mehmed beg Kapetanovic Ljubusak. He was a former mayor of Sarajevo and a great cultural worker. His literary work is well known, so this exhibition is an opportunity to present his excellent calligraphic works.

The Golden Threadwas opened by Semir Efendic, Mayor of Sarajevo Municipality Novi grad, and Osman Lavic, Director of Gazi Husrev Beg Library. The exhibition generally provides a good overview of calligraphic movements and achievements in Bosnia, in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It can be an excellent basis for research and further deepening of this topic.

Osman Lavic, Director of the Gazi Husrev Beg Library / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Osman Lavic and Semir Efendic touring the exhibition / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Calligraphic work by Abdullah Ajni Hasagic. From the collection of the Gazi Husrev Beg Library / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Calligraphic transcript of Risalla-i tasawwuf by Abdullah Ajni Hasagic. From the collection of the Gazi Husrev Beg Library / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Calligraphic work by Abdullah Ajni Hasagic. From the collection of the Gazi Husrev Beg Library / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Calligraphic works by Abdullah Ajni Hasagic. From the collection of the Gazi Husrev Beg Library / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Calligraphic work by Ahmed Seid Vilic (H 1252), 1836. From the collection of the Gazi Husrev Beg Library / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Calligraphic work by Ahmed Seid Vilic (H 1263), 1846. From the collection of the Gazi Husrev Beg Library / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Calligraphic work by Ahmed Seid Vilic (H 1266), 1849. From the collection of the Gazi Husrev Beg Library / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Calligraphic work by Ahmed Seid Vilic (H 1253), 1837. From the collection of the Gazi Husrev Beg Library / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Calligraphic work by Ali Serif Faginovic (H 1325), 1907-08. From the collection of the Gazi Husrev Beg Library / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Calligraphic work by Muhamed Mujagic (H 1311), 1893-94. From the collection of the Gazi Husrev Beg Library / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Calligraphic work by Muhamed Mujagic, 1893-94. From the collection of the Gazi Husrev Beg Library / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Probably Mehmed Beg Kapetanovic Ljubusak (H1311_), 1893. From the collection of the Gazi Husrev Beg Library / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Both works were made by an unknown calligrapher, at the end of the 19th or beginning of the 20th century. From the collection of the Gazi Husrev Beg Library / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

By unknown calligrapher (H1348), 1928. From the collection of the Gazi Husrev Beg Library / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Works by unknown calligraphers. From the collection of the Gazi Husrev Beg Library / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

The exhibition will run until February 11, 2021.