Arabic Typography in Stained Glass: A Historical Reading and Contemporary Applications

Elkhateb, Ibraheam Mohamed Taha; Moheb El-Din, Reda Salah

doi:10.21608/idj.2025.404824.1391

Arabic Typography in Stained Glass: A Historical Reading and Contemporary Applications

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ قسم الزجاج، کلية الفنون التطبيقية، جامعة دمياط ،دمياط، مصر

² قسم الطباعة والنشر والتغليف كلية الفنون التطبيقية جامعة دمياط - مصر

10.21608/idj.2025.404824.1391

Abstract

The art of stained glass is considered one of the ancient decorative arts throughout different eras, where light, shape, and color come together to create aesthetic scenes with a spiritual and functional character. Typography has also played a pivotal role in the arts, as it was not merely a decorative element but carried deep cultural and religious connotations. There has been a growing trend toward recontextualizing typography in contemporary artistic media, including stained glass, which opens new horizons for connecting the historical roots of this art with modern design visions. This research addresses a historical reading of stained glass art across various eras and how this relationship has evolved in light of modern typography, focusing on contemporary visual applications of typography with Arabic letters that invest Arabic script in stained glass design for aesthetic and functional purposes in current contexts. The research problem lies in the need to reinterpret traditional art through a contemporary lens, allowing for the integration of Arabic letters with modern design techniques in stained glass works across multiple fields. It seeks to establish a scientific reference that contributes to the development of using Arabic calligraphy in this renewing art.

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