Just the latest in a long line of exponents of this study is Abbas Shakir Joudi (Al Baghdadi), both a calligraphist and a teacher of calligraphy. Born in Baghdad in 1951, the artist is so tied to the classical form of script that he is even averse to modern calligraphy, especially when practitioners have failed to take the trouble to master the art in its more traditional form.

Former calligrapher to Iraqi president Saddam Hussein, Joudi’s exceptional reputation has led to lecture tours and demonstrations in the US, including at Harvard’s renowned Centre for Middle Eastern Studies.