From the flip of the calligrapher’s brushstroke to the choice of Arabic script applied to sheets of metal and glass, the works are more than advertisements; they are signs of the times. The Old Signs of Amman Museum that showcases these works tells hundreds of stories about the Jordanian capital and its shops, residents, and society as far back as the 1940s. But perhaps the hand-painted signs’ most captivating story is that of the skill of the khattat, or professional calligrapher, who painted them. The calligraphers drew from an armory of Arabic scripts, each taking years to master. They would spend hours choosing the best font to fit the words and subject matter. Each sign is one-of-a-kind; you can see where the brushstroke started and stopped, where the brush was active, and where it slowed. The signs are also historical records, freeze frames of Jordan.
Amman Downtown
