Sa'di, "Two Lovers Lost at Sea"

Four verses from Sa'di's "Bustan" (The Fruit Orchard), writen in black Nasta'liq script during 16th-17th cent. Iran. Chunin khwandam ka dar dariya-yi a'zam / Bi-girdabi dar aftadand ba ham / Chumalah amadash ta dast girad / Mabada kandaran (ka dar an) sakhti bamirad... Dimensions of Written Surface: 11.6 (w) x 18.1 (h) cm I read that, in a very large sea, / They fell together into a whirlpool. / When the sailor arrived to give a hand / So that they not die in that difficult situation... The text is executed in black nasta'liq script framed by cloud bands on a background covered in gold leaf and decorated by vine motifs in black ink. In the upper and lower corners, the spaces between the diagonal lines of text and the rectangular frame are filled by illuminated triangles (or thumb pieces). The main text panel is framed by several borders, including one that contains ten verses of poetry separated by red panels decorated by gold flower designs. The decoration is of mediocre quality and may have been added after the text panel, itself possibly executed in Iran during the 16th or 17th century. This calligraphic fragment includes, in the main text panel, four verses from Sa'di's "Bustan" (The Fruit Orchard), in which he succinctly describes the tragic story of two lovers who fall into a whirlpool in the sea. When a sailor attempts to save them, each lover asks him to save the other -- as he turns to each one, it becomes too late and both die: Script: nasta'liq 1-93-154.171