The theatrics of Arabic script: word and/as image in the diagrams of the Kitāb al-diryāq (BnF arabe 2964)

Abstract

This article focuses upon the arrangement of written words in geometric shapes or patterns—specifically in Arabic script. It takes the case of the Kitāb al-diryāq (Book of Antidotes, 595 AH/1199 CE, BnF arabe 2964), an illuminated and illustrated manuscript that features a series of geometric compositions created using Arabic script. The script is employed in conjunction with or independent of geometric lines and curves, with its ligatures compressed and elongated, and words repeated, ornamented, or oriented multidirectionally to augment the geometric shape. The aesthetic manipulation of the script in this manner severely compromises the legibility of the words—the pages invite a viewing of the script rather than a reading of the text. By closely examining a set of four such compositions—articulated as diagrams—the article demonstrates the semantic value of the visual script patterns when read in concert with the verbal content. Furthermore, by focusing on the extralinguistic components of the diagrams, I argue that the arrangement of text in geometric patterns is a vital medium of transmitting knowledge—the form not only shapes the reception of verbal messages but also augments an aesthetic image; operates as a cognitive device; and transforms the text into a scientific representation. The diagrams visually and semantically shape knowledge.