MOHAMAD ZAKARIYA (AMERICAN, B. 1942)
KUFIC CALLIGRAPHIC EXERCISE: PART OF QUR'AN 17:44
Estimate: £4,000 - £6,000
Auction: 11 June 2025 from 10:00 BST
Description
ink and gouache on paper, signed lower left: signed by Muhamad Zakariya dated 27 Muharram 1407/ 2 October 1986, framed and glazed
Dimensions
95cm x 63.5cm
Provenance
Formerly, the collection of a distinguished Saudi diplomat, acquired directly from the artist.
Footnote
Our painting is a relatively early work by Zakariya and is undoubtedly inspired by the striking kufic calligraphy from the famous Nurse's Quran.
Mohamed Zakariya is an American master Islamic calligrapher and an American Muslim convert. Zakariya became drawn to Islamic calligraphy while growing up in California and made his way to Morocco in his teens. While there he became more interested in Islam and converted upon his return to the United States. After being self-taught in Islamic calligraphy for many years, he eventually became a student of Turkish master calligrapher Hasan Celebi, one of the students of Hamid Aytaç, the last of the Ottoman calligraphers. Through Celebi’s teachings, Zakariya received a diploma at the research Center of Islamic History, Art, and Culture in Istanbul in 1988, the first American to receive this accolade. Now a teacher himself, Zakariya is very prolific and has had many high-profile commissions, including one from US President Barack Obama to create a piece presented to the king of Saudi Arabia in 2009.