Origins & Early Life

Osman Waqialla (Arabic: عثمان وقيع الله, 1925−4 January 2007), was a 20th century Sudanese painter and calligrapher, noted for his creative use of Arabic letter forms in his artworks, thereby integrating African and Islamic cultural traditions into the contemporary art of Sudan. This use of Arabic calligraphy as a modern, non-religious graphic form places Waquialla within the Arabic art movement that became known as the Hurufiyya movement. Waqialla was born in Rufa'a, in Central Sudan, Al Jazirah state on the banks of the Blue Nile. He graduated from the School of Design, Gordon Memorial College, Khartoum, Sudan in 1945.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

In 1946, he received a scholarship and moved to England to join Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts in London and finished his studied in 1949. Later he moved to Cairo, Egypt, where he trained as a calligrapher under the master Sayyid Muhammed Ibrahim (died 1994) at the Cairo School of Arabic Calligraphy. During his time at Camberwell School of Art and Crafts, London, and the School of Arabic Calligraphy, Cairo, Waqialla explored the expressive and compositional possibilities of Arab calligraphic form in his paintings. He thus became one of the...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Albert Bandura — Contemporary (Born in 1925) (1925): Pioneering psychologist known for Social Cognitive Theory and self-efficacy.
• Alfred Baphethuxolo Nzo — Contemporary (Born in 1925) (1925): Prominent South African politician and long-serving ANC leader.
• Alfred F. Young — Contemporary (Born in 1925) (1925): Pioneering American historian of the Revolution and working-class social history.
• Albert Ellis — Contemporary (Died in 2007) (2007): Pioneering figure in psychotherapy, founder of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)
• Alfred Peet — Contemporary (Died in 2007) (2007): Dutch-American founder credited with starting the US specialty coffee revolution.
• André Gorz — Contemporary (Died in 2007) (2007): Austrian-French philosopher known for critiques of work and political ecology.
• Alauddin Khalji — Shared historical date (01-04 · Died) (1316): Powerful Sultan of Delhi who reformed administration and repelled Mongol invasions.
• Albert Camus — Shared historical date (01-04 · Died) (1960): Philosopher and writer known for Absurdism, The Stranger, and The Plague.
• Amy Lowell — Historical peer (Died in 1925) (1925): American poet, key figure in the Imagist school, known for her vibrant verse.
• Angela Lansbury — Historical peer (Born in 1925) (1925): Iconic British-American actress and singer with an 80-year career.
• 1925 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1925
• 2007 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2007
• January 4 (01-04) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on January 4