Alain George

United Kingdom · Historian of Islamic art and calligraphy

Alain Fouad George is a historian of Islamic art and architecture, currently the I.M. Pei Professor of Islamic Art and Architecture at the University of Oxford and a fellow of Wolfson College. He previously taught at the University of Edinburgh and has held a senior role at the Lusail Institute in Qatar. His research covers early Islamic calligraphy, early Qur’an manuscripts, Umayyad religious art and illustrated Arabic books. He is preparing a catalogue of the Al-Sabah Collection’s Qur’an manuscripts.

This scholar is also listed in the Quran Hub’s manuscript scholars catalogue. The list of works here is compiled from publisher, library and university pages and is not exhaustive; check details against the publisher’s record before citing.

Archived 15 October 2026 · Biography sources: orinst.web.ox.ac.uk · saqibooks.com

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Archived 23 October 2026 · Sources: the Wikipedia article of each author and the biographies on this site. Whole network

Works

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Books 3

BOOK 2010 · English · Saqi Books, London

The Rise of Islamic Calligraphy

Traces Arabic calligraphy from its pre-Islamic origins through early Qur'an manuscripts to later scripts, with attention to proportion.

Archived 15 October 2026 · Source: saqibooks.com

Cite

George, Alain. The Rise of Islamic Calligraphy. 2010. Archived 15 October 2026 in Islamic Internet Archives: Archive of Modern Islamic Thought. https://islamicarchives.org/authors/alain-george/#alain-george-the-rise-of-islamic-calligraphy

No free copy online

BOOK 2017 · English · Dar El-Nimer, Beirut

Midad: The Public and Intimate Lives of Arabic Calligraphy

Exhibition catalogue on the history and uses of Arabic calligraphy.

Archived 15 October 2026 · Source: Dar El-Nimer, Beirut

Cite

George, Alain. Midad: The Public and Intimate Lives of Arabic Calligraphy. 2017. Archived 15 October 2026 in Islamic Internet Archives: Archive of Modern Islamic Thought. https://islamicarchives.org/authors/alain-george/#alain-george-midad-the-public-and-intimate-lives-of

No free copy online

BOOK 2021 · English · Gingko, London

The Umayyad Mosque of Damascus: Art, Faith and Empire in Early Islam

Study of the mosque's decoration and its religious and political meanings under the Umayyads.

Archived 15 October 2026 · Source: orinst.web.ox.ac.uk

Cite

George, Alain. The Umayyad Mosque of Damascus: Art, Faith and Empire in Early Islam. 2021. Archived 15 October 2026 in Islamic Internet Archives: Archive of Modern Islamic Thought. https://islamicarchives.org/authors/alain-george/#alain-george-the-umayyad-mosque-of-damascus-art-faith

No free copy online

Articles & essays 3

ARTICLE 2009 · English · Journal of Qur'anic Studies 11(1)

Calligraphy, Colour and Light in the Blue Qur'an

Examines the visual and material features of the Blue Qur'an manuscript.

Archived 15 October 2026 · Source: Journal of Qur'anic Studies 11(1)

Cite

George, Alain. Calligraphy, Colour and Light in the Blue Qur'an. 2009. Archived 15 October 2026 in Islamic Internet Archives: Archive of Modern Islamic Thought. https://islamicarchives.org/authors/alain-george/#alain-george-calligraphy-colour-and-light-in-the-blue

No free copy online

ARTICLE 2011 · French · Comptes rendus des séances de l'Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres

Le palimpseste Lewis-Mingana de Cambridge, témoin ancien de l'histoire du Coran

Studies an early Qur'anic palimpsest at Cambridge as evidence for the text's early history.

Archived 15 October 2026 · Source: Comptes rendus des séances de l'Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres

Cite

George, Alain. Le palimpseste Lewis-Mingana de Cambridge, témoin ancien de l'histoire du Coran. 2011. Archived 15 October 2026 in Islamic Internet Archives: Archive of Modern Islamic Thought. https://islamicarchives.org/authors/alain-george/#alain-george-le-palimpseste-lewis-mingana-de-cambridge-temoin

No free copy online

ARTICLE 2015 · English · Journal of Qur'anic Studies 17(1)

Coloured Dots and the Question of Regional Origins in Early Qur'ans (Part I)

Analyses coloured-dot vocalisation systems in early Qur'ans to assess where manuscripts were produced.

Archived 15 October 2026 · Source: ora.ox.ac.uk

Cite

George, Alain. Coloured Dots and the Question of Regional Origins in Early Qur'ans (Part I). 2015. https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:509ded8b-d160-491a-b053-7248f37b7ca9. Archived 15 October 2026 in Islamic Internet Archives: Archive of Modern Islamic Thought. https://islamicarchives.org/authors/alain-george/#alain-george-coloured-dots-and-the-question-of-regional

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