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Discover the Art of Writing: Top 6 Captivating Fun Facts About Calligraphy

illustration of calligraphy
Dive into the fascinating world of calligraphy, where ink, paper, and penmanship converge to create artistic masterpieces one stroke at a time - prepare to be delightfully surprised by these fun facts!

1. World Calligraphy Day Celebration

If the pen is indeed mightier than the sword, then wielding calligraphy is like mastering an ancient martial art of ink and paper: Calligraphy, dating back to as early as 200 BC in China, has evolved into a widely-practiced art form that brilliantly marries individual expression and cultural ancestry. Celebrate your inner calligrapher and join the global community on World Calligraphy Day, the second Wednesday of August, as we pay homage to this enchanting art form that makes our words dance on the page like never before.
Source => nationaldaycalendar.com

2. Ottoman Turkish Linguistic Fashion Show

In the land of hookahs, baklava, and bazaars, language had a style that could rival an old Spice Girls medley, complete with zig-a-zig-ah: Ottoman Turkish boasted different scripts based on the writer's religion and ethnicity, including Armenian, Greek, and Karamanlidic alphabets. Arabic script took center stage as the official language until Mustafa Kemal Atatürk shook things up with Latin letters in the early 20th century, causing calligraphy to take a bow but not exit the building completely – it remains an esteemed art form in Turkey till this day.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

3. Rise of Female Clerical Workers

Once upon a typewriter, when Americans had many a letter to type and fewer women in offices: The 19th-century invention of the typewriter led to a massive increase in female clerical workers, growing from just 2.5% in the 1800s to 52.5% by 1930, diversifying the workforce and helping women storm the office-desk barricades.
Source => marketplace.org

4. Calligraphy: The Ultimate Visual Art

In a world where art forms competed for the title of "Greatest of All Time," calligraphy flexed its muscles, looked painting and sculpture up and down, and scoffed, "Do you even brush, bro?": In ancient China, calligraphy reigned supreme as the ultimate visual art form, with poetry as its proverbial partner in crime. It was believed to reveal and connect one with the calligrapher's spirit, and the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone were seen as the Four Treasures of the Study, highly esteemed by all.
Source => asiasociety.org

Ancient Chinese Words on Bones and Bronze

5. Ancient Chinese Words on Bones and Bronze

Who let the dogs out and etched their words in stone? Our Chinese calligraphy ancestors, that's who!: The oldest examples of Chinese calligraphy, such as the Shang Dynasty oracle bones and Zhou bronze vessel inscriptions, were written on animal bones and casted bronze vessels, making these quirky artifacts invaluable sources to study the evolution of the mesmerizing art form.
Source => chinaknowledge.de

6. Immortalize Your Handwriting as a Font

Hey there, Picasso of Penmanship! Ever fancied having your handwriting immortalized in a font? Well, it turns out the art of calligraphy isn't just confined to monks and offbeat craft fair stalls anymore! Behold: The Universal Typeface Experiment, a project by Dutch ad agency MediaMonks and Société Bic that allowed smartphone users to contribute their handwriting to a downloadable font using a touchpad and special BIC pen. Running till January 2015, the experiment averaged the collected scribbles across user prompts but still showcased regional quirks. So, technically, your handwriting could've become a celebrity among a sea of anonymous John Handwriting-does, earning the digital equivalent of a standing ovation as the Favorite Website Awards' "Site of the Month"!
Source => encyclopedia.design

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