Hassan Massoudy's calligraphies are arranged to loosely follow the seasons, beginning and ending with autumn: sombre, wintry hues at one end, brilliant tones full of vibrant reds at the other.--Venetia Porter

Hassan Massoudy's elegant calligraphy depicts the four seasons of the garden. From the icy palettes of winter and the fading hues of autumn to delicate spring growth and the dazzling sunshine and blooms of summer, he captures in calligraphy what countless poets have wrought with words.

Massoudy draws his seasonal inspirations from writers and artists, including Kahlil Gibran, Henri Matisse, Lao Tzu, William Blake, and Victor Hugo, as well as from Hungarian, Spanish, Turkish, and Japanese proverbs.

Hassan Massoudy was born in Najaf, Iraq. He moved to France in 1969, where he studied at L'École des Beaux-Arts. His work has been exhibited throughout Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, and is in the permanent collections of the British Museum and the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts, among others. Nineteen books of his calligraphy have been published in France, along with his autobiography, Si loin de l'Euphrate: Une jeunesse d'artiste en Irak.

Let there be spaces in your togetherness.
And let the winds of the heavens dance between you. Khalil Gibran

Inspired by love poems from the Arab and Muslim world, Hassan Massoudy's elegant, swirling compositions capture in calligraphy what countless poets have wrought with words. Through broad strokes and vibrant colours, the artist conveys the essence and meaning of love as captured by Rumi, Khalil Gibran, Ibn Zaydoun and Paul Eluard among others.

With over one hundred colour illustrations, Calligraphies of Love is a unique gift book bringing together new works by one of the greatest calligraphers of our time.

Hassan Massoudy was born in 1944 in Najaf, southern Iraq. He moved to Baghdad in 1961 where he learnt the various classical styles of calligraphy, and studied graphic design and fine arts. He then studied at L' cole des Beaux-Arts in Paris, France, where he was further influenced by the art of Leger, Matisse, Soulages and Picasso. Massoudy's work has been exhibited throughout Europe and the Middle East, and is in the permanent collections of the British Museum in London and the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts, among others. His other publications in English include The Calligrapher's Garden.

A feast for the eyes and balm for the soul.--T l rama

Hassan Massoudy's elegant calligraphy depicts the four seasons of the garden. From the icy palettes of winter to delicate spring growth, and from the dazzling sunshine and blooms of summer through the fading hues of autumn, he captures in calligraphy what countless poets have crafted with words.

The proverb or quotation that inspired each artwork is handwritten in Arabic by Massoudy alongside the English texts on the facing page.

Hassan Massoudy was born in Najaf, Iraq. He moved to France in 1969, where he studied at L' cole des Beaux-Arts. His work has been exhibited throughout Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.

The poet is the prince of words, the calligrapher the choreographer.

Inspired by ancient classical poets, master calligrapher Hassan Massoudy has responded to these timeless poems from around the world with his signature broad strokes and vibrant colours. In seventy poems and calligraphies, he captures the words and wisdom of our greatest poets, from Al Mutanabbi, Rumi and Khalil Gibran, to Socrates, Shakespeare and Jacques Prévert. From evocations to the immensity of the desert to soulful expressions of unrequited love, Massoudy pays homage to the depth of poetry through visual expression.

Beautifully illustrated throughout, The Poet and the Calligrapherbrings new life to old words. The perfect gift and journey for poets, art lovers and dreamers alike.