Togo - West Africa - page 920

Visual Arts
Calligraphy
Calligraphy is the standout visual art form in Morocco, practiced and perfected in Moroc-
can medersa (Quranic schools) over the last thousand years. The Quran praises lines writ-
ten with the qalam , or reed-handled pen, and it's easy to see why: it takes a steady hand
and a light touch to use this fine-tipped brushpen, but it does make a glorious impression.
Sometimes the elegant letters are so cleverly intertwined they're hard to read, even for very
learned Moroccans - but most form an aya, or Quranic verse.
The style most commonly used for Qurans is Naskh, a slanting cursive script introduced
by the Ummayads. Cursive letters ingeniously interlaced to form a shape or dense design
are hallmarks of the Thuluth style, while high-impact graphic lettering is the Kufic style
from Iraq.
Among the British Museum's fine collection of Benin statues are 16th-century plaques depicting the Por-
tuguese in knee breeches and boots, feathered hats, matchlocks, cross-hilt daggers and accompanied by
dogs.
Zellij
Zellij is the art of Moroccan-style mosaics. Each zellij tile is individually sculpted in a pre-
cise geometric shape with a small hammer and screwdriver-sized chisel. Each tile must be
exactly the right colour and shape, so that it fits together perfectly with hundreds or thou-
sands of others to create a consistent pattern that covers an entire wall, floor or fountain.
The best zellij is cut in small pieces that fit together so perfectly that the mortar is barely
visible between pieces, and the surface appears smooth and almost unbroken. Zellij artisans
can create 360 different shapes, and each one can take weeks or even months to master.
Zellij maâlems (master artisans) from Fez are generally considered the Nobel Prize win-
ners of Moroccan mosaics, although those from Marrakesh and Mekne ̀ s are not far behind.
Butabu: Adobe Architecture of West Africa, by James Morris, is a stunning photographic study of West Africa's tra-
ditional architecture with informative text; a great reminder of your visit.