Persian prose and poetry

Persian prose and poetry piece written in the Shikastah-Nasta'liq script, created on Saturday 27 July, 1743 in Iran. Dimensions of Written Surface: 15.4 (w) x 22.7 (h) cm There is a small hole in the brown leather, below which a note states that this calligraphic piece was finished in the morning (subh) of Saturday (Shambah) the 5th of Jumadah II 1156, or Saturday 27 July, 1743. Close to the date appears a note specifying that the work was commissioned by a certain Mawlana [...]. The name of the calligrapher, apparently inscribed in red ink in the center of the composition, unfortunately is illegible. The script is typical of calligraphic work executed in 18th-century Iran, which witnessed the gradual development of shikastah script from its nasta'liq roots. This calligraphic fragment is executed in gold ink on brown leather. The text is written in shikastah-nasta'liq and comprises a selection of Persian excerpts in both poetry (nazm) and prose (naskh). These passages are written in diagonal and are framed by cloud band motifs. The text is framed by a blue border decorated with flowers and pasted to a pink sheet ornamented with gold leaf and flower motifs. Script: shikastah-nasta'liq 1-04-713.19.7