In the context of this artwork, explore the Background of the Description.

Calligraphy has had a long and storied history in the Islamic World. While the art form was most commonly reserved for writing or inscribing, some individual works of art were entirely made using calligraphy. Known as "calligrams", these images depicted a number of subjects. One such subject was ships, with calligrams of ships being especially popular in the Ottoman Empire. Some practitioners of Sufism attached a degree of mystical importance to these works of art, which were displayed inside of ritual spaces. A similar art-form—Pictorial Writing—was also prevalent in Persia.
Calligraphy Sufism Pictorial Writing Ottoman Empire Persia Islamic World