Thuluth Oval with Butterflies — Acrylic Islamic Wall Art

A long oval cartouche frames a line of Arabic calligraphy drawn in the classical Thuluth hand. Tall flagged uprights rise through a bed of curved strokes, and the small shadda marks, hamzas and square points a Thuluth calligrapher uses to fill empty ground are cut as part of the artwork rather than printed on it. The writing breaks out of the frame on the right, where a long sweeping stroke carries past the oval. Three small butterflies are cut into the lower corners. At 120 cm wide the panel stands roughly 62 cm tall.

The proportions suit a wall that is wider than it is tall — above a majlis sofa, along a corridor, over a console or behind a bed. Gloss piano black keeps the strokes graphic and quiet and reads cleanly against pale plaster. Mirror gold warms the whole panel and catches lamplight after sunset, which works with deeper paint and timber. Mirror chrome silver is the coolest of the three and sits well on grey, concrete or glass. Every finish is float-mounted, so the letterforms cast a soft shadow onto the wall.

• Material: 3mm cast acrylic, cut on the CO2 laser in our own Dubai workshop.
• Finishes: gloss piano black, mirror gold, or mirror chrome silver.
• Sizes: stated by width; height scales in proportion — the 120 cm panel stands about 62 cm tall.
• Mounting: float-mounted — it sits off the wall rather than flat against it.
• Made in the UAE: drawn, cut and finished in our Dubai workshop.
• Gifting: a calm, non-figurative piece that suits a new home, a wedding or a housewarming.