Few have the power to touch our lives with their greatness and creative intelligence that know no boundaries. Montegrappa recognizes such creative geniuses through its exclusive range of pens – the ‘Genio Creativo’ series.
Till date, ‘Genio Creativo’ has honored only three individuals: the greatest of all luthiers, Antonio Stradivari, the remarkable painter and sculptor, Amedeo Modigliani and Salvador Dalí, a visionary who personified surrealism.
Only an equally remarkable genius could be recognized with such a dignified honor.
Kahlil Gibran was a genius in his own sense. Among the highest selling poets of all time, alongside Shakespeare and Lao-Tzu, Gibran has been a source of spiritual nourishment for nearly a century.
Giuseppe Aquila, CEO of Montegrappa Italia stated “We thoroughly studied Gibran’s work and visited Bsharreh, his birth place in North of Lebanon to get a better understanding of his life and the factors that must have influenced his thoughts. In Lebanon, the people of Bsharreh are known to be very courageous. They are known across the northern region for their hospitality and patriotism. I feel this sense of freedom and courage clearly reflects in his writings, as well as the paintings. He never became an American citizen because of his love for his birthplace. Before his death, he expressed that he be buried in Lebanon. The Genio Creativo collection of Montegrappa honors the individuals who have contributed to the mankind in their own respective fields. Kahlil Gibran was a genius in his own sense. His thoughts and approach towards life (spirituality at a whole new level) clearly reflect in his work. It is an honor for Montegrappa to be able to create a pen which mirrors his work and beliefs to a great extent”.
For this esteemed project, Montegrappa has collaborated closely with the Gibran NationalCommittee, and renowned Lebanese artist Katya Traboulsy.
Katya Traboulsy commented “Gibran painted more than 440 paintings in his life. His unique sense of spirituality, with a style related to aestheticism and symbolism, shows in all of his work. The Kahlil Gibran pens represent that - the symbolism of freedom and spirituality. Montegrappa has done a wonderful job in creating a pen which reflects his style and belief. It has been an amazing experience to work with Montegrappa, because they respect the details, they go into jewelry detail and they have the aptitude to deliver the best”.
The Gibran National Committee (GNC) was established in Bsharreh, to protect and continue his legacy after his death, and Montegrappa is supporting the Gibran legacy through this project with a donation to the GNC for each pen sold. Dr Tarek Chidiac, president of the GNC said, “Gibran is a great source of pride for Lebanon and his work is cherished by people of all backgrounds and nationalities. Montegrappa has embraced this project with all the passion and creativity that Gibran represents.”
The pens are made of resin in a colour reminiscent of the blue, black and grey prominent in Gibran’s paintings. This rich, dark hue is accented with palladium plated trim, while the fountain pen nib is two-tone 18K solid gold and bears the famous face believed by many to be Gibran’s ultimate self-portrait. All pens feature a pocket clip in the form of a hand with a solitary Sapphire set as the eye on the open palm, named the Divine World by Gibran himself. The face adorning the nib and the palm molded into the clip are the most recognized visual references of Gibran’s art. The base of the cap is inscribed with the writer’s signature, and the top of the cap bears the emblem of a ‘K’ overlaid on a ‘G’, a symbol found in the corner of many of Gibran’s paintings, his own personal logo. In honor of the year of the birth of this legendary writer, the Kahlil Gibran limited edition consists of 1883 units each of fountain pens, roller balls and ball point pens. Each series of pens will be numbered 1/1883 to 1883/1883.
Hugely talented and universally loved, Gibran Kahlil (6 January 1883 – 10 April 1931) was one of the Arab world’s greatest polymaths. He left a legacy that lives on not only through his own work, but also through the inspiration he has ignited in others.
Gibran was born in the town of Bsharreh in the north of modern-day Lebanon (then part of Mount Lebanon Mutasarrifate, Ottoman Empire). His mother, Kamila, was a daughter of a priest. As a result of his family’s poverty, Gibran received no formal schooling during his childhood in Lebanon. However, priests visited him regularly and taught him about the Bible, as well as other languages. Many of Gibran’s writings deal with Christianity, especially on the topic of spiritual love. But his mysticism is a convergence of several different influences: Christianity, Islam, Sufism, Judaism and theosophy. His knowledge of Lebanon’s turbulent history, with its destructive factional struggles, strengthened his belief in the fundamental unity of religions. He wrote: “You are my brother and I love you. I love you when you prostrate yourself in your mosque, and kneel in your church and pray in your synagogue. You and I are sons of one faith—the Spirit.”
In the Arab world, he is regarded as a literary and social rebel standing against ineffective society traditions. His romantic style was at the heart of a renaissance in modern Arabic literature, with his “prose poetry” a departure from the classical school. His first book published by Alfred A. Knopf was ‘The Madman’, a slim volume of aphorisms and parables written in biblical cadence somewhere between poetry and prose. Gibran’s most noted work ‘The Prophet’ has been translated into over forty different languages and has never been out of print.
Although his birth name was Gibran Khalil Gibran, during his time in America, he adopted the misspelt version ‘Kahlil’, which was easier for Americans to pronounce, as his permanent name and eventually his pen-name under which his works are published.
Gibran painted numerous works in his trademark lyrical style, which reflects the influence of symbolism.
Several memorials have been built in the honor of the legend, including the Gibran Memorial Garden in Washington D.C., a memorial plaque in Boston, Massachusetts and the ‘Bust of Gibran’ in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
Gibran was buried in Mar Sarkis Monastery in Lebanon. Written next to his grave are the words: "I am alive like you, and I am standing beside you. Close your eyes and look around, you will see me in front of you”.
Gibran continues to live and inspire the world through his writings and paintings.
