A friend's letter

A friend's letter written in a fine shikastah-nasta'liq script typical of 18th-century compositions from Iran. Because it's been a very long time / That I haven't (been able) to write a worthy letter, / Because a friend among friends wants to write to / Kind people to find out how they are doing... Chun muddat-i mutanahi-st / Ka bi-tahriri ka qabil bashad napardakht / Chun az an dusti az dustan bi-jihat-i kasan-i / Muhabbat tu'aman juya-yi ahvalat farmud... Dimensions of Written Surface: 10.2 (w) x 16.6 (h) cm This calligraphic fragment provides an incomplete letter from a man to his friend written in a fine shikastah-nasta'liq script typical of 18th-century compositions from Persia (Iran). Framed by cloud bands and placed on a gold background with blue vine motifs, the text is comprised of four lines. Beginning with an invocation to God ("huwa," or He) in the top right corner, the letter continues: Script: shikastah-nasta'liq 1-85-154.90