Hat Sanatı Tarihi Muhittin Serin (Ciltsiz)

In Turkish culture, almost all fine arts—such as architecture, music, illumination, and calligraphy—these branches of art that have left the world in awe and possess a character as divine as they are human, have moved from a center of oneness. Because they bear a monotheistic character, they have always declared and revived that understanding of unity in their details and particulars just as much as in their foundation and philosophy. With the adoption of the Latin alphabet in 1928, our old letters were abolished. Consequently, in accordance with the saying "Skill is subject to appreciation," the calligrapher joined the ranks of artists who received neither encouragement nor appreciation. Nevertheless, due to a historical compulsion and necessity, the great place and influence of "calligraphy" in Turkish art did not completely fade; for this reason, an internal structural pressure of art led to the training of new calligraphers, and the book we have at hand emerged as a result of this need. Another noteworthy point is that these young calligraphers continue to be master artists sought after by various Muslim countries, much like an export commodity. The conclusion is this: the old letters may die in Turkey. But neither "calligraphy" nor the "calligrapher" can die.