Hassan Massoudy's calligraphy

Last time when I was in Paris I visited the Musée de l'Institut du Monde Arabe (Museum of the Institute of the Arab World) and bought this beautiful book by Jacques Salomé on the calligraphy works by the Iraqi artist Hassan Massoudy. I fell in love with his twentieth century calligraphy immediately.

Hassan Massoudy is an artist for whom the word itself remains the most sublime creative force. His creations are a subtle mix of present and past, oriental and occidental, tradition and modernity. The words and phrases, which are the inspiration for his calligraphy, are drawn from proverbs, poets and philosophers throughout the centuries, ranging from St. Augustine, Virgil and Ibne Arabi to Baudelaire and Rousseau.