Innovative approaches in Persian Calligraphy
Event details
Join us for research seminars hosted by the Department of History of Art with a selection of visiting academics, alongside University of York researchers. All students and staff are very welcome.
Please contact Dr Ivan Knapp (ivan.knapp@york.ac.uk) if you have any questions.
You can view the full schedule for the semester here: History of Art Research Seminar Schedule Semester 2 2026
Abstract:
At the heart of Islamic art lies calligraphy, not merely as a vehicle for communication, but as one of its most revered decorative forms. From early Kufic inscriptions embedded in architectural design to the diverse expressions of contemporary practice, artists across the Islamicate lands have continually pursued innovative approaches to script. This presentation explores key developments in Persian calligraphy, with particular attention to artistic experimentation and stylistic transformation in 19th-century Iran, and their continuation to today
Dr Shiva Mihan
Dr Shiva Mihan is Curator of Islamic Collections (Persianate World) at the British Museum. She received her PhD from the University of Cambridge in 2018, where her award-winning dissertation examined Timurid manuscript production in Baysunghur’s library in Herat. She has held postdoctoral fellowships at the Harvard Art Museums and the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, and has taught Islamic art as a Visiting Professor at Washington University in St. Louis. Her research focuses on Persian manuscript culture, artistic patronage, and the transmission of texts across the Persianate world. She is also the founder and President of the Persian Manuscripts Association.