FROM LONDON TOWNE TO PARIS AND PERSIA

فرامرز سلیمانی ...سفرنامه ی شهری
نوشتن ازلندن تان تاپاریس و پرشیا
AUGUST 21,BALTIMORE,MD;WALTERS ART MUSEUM

In writing ,our cognitive faculty seems to be the most important factor which initiates reading ,memories and creativity for communications.Writing also appeals to the instruments directing their way to attractive crafts and at times art,as in pen and pen box especially in Persian Arts.These considered as a supplement and companion to writing.
When I stepped into the small but significant exhibition of writing instruments in Walters Art Museum,
I was also thinking of invention of Hieroglyph in 3000 BC Egypt,Pictograph of sumerians ,3000 BC,Alphabets of 1700 BC in Near East,including Cuneiform,Print of 1445 and Digitalization of our era in 20th century that one may call it DIGHTING.
The art of writing as a hallmark of literature and culture comes from poets ,calligraphers(sometimes both quality in one person),and their avocations,accompanied with political powers supporting them,and or sponsoring,as seen in Esfehan of Persia,Paris of france,Kyoto of Japan,and illuminated in works of artists of pen box such as Ismael Isfahani of Qajar,866-67.
In Japan,the poetess Ise No Tayu of 11th century and one of the 36 immortal poets of that time wrote her poem and painted her ideas and dreams.
The double cherry trees which grew
At Nara in past days
Now beautify this palace and
Their blossoms will ablaze
perfume the way.
from 101 Poems of Old Japan.
In Iran also pen box with scenes from Haft Peikar of Nezami was the work of mohammad esmail esfehani,also pen box with hunters ,battle scene and floral motif of Kazem Alahsani,and Lacquer pen box of FARANGI SAZI or
 EUROPEANIZED STYLE ,ALL FROM 19TH CENTURY TO BE USED FOR WRITING PURPOSES.
From Japan in this exhibit Kyoshi Bako presented document box with writing on it:
The snow beneath the pines of Oshio
Have never known such mighty company.
I go back to introductory note of exhibition with a painting of MAKTAB ESFEHAN,depicting Vazir Azam,the Grand Vizir, and Shah Gholi Khan,a work by Mohamad Soltani.It looks like the curator of this show is suggesting that painting is a way of writing too and probably started by mankind within the same era for communication.
Storm and heavy rain was a good excuse to spend time in museum gift shop,cafe  ,and specially the splendid sculpture court of Walters collection ,but none of these was able to stop the wild rain who was a good company in I 95 too .It looked like someone was writing a new poem on the road  or painting it in another rainy stormy night.
SUNDAY,AUGUST 21,2011
pix and blography by: MOJ