Excerpt from Sa'di's "Gulistan"

Excerpt from Sa'di's (d. 691/1292) "Gulistan" (The Rose Garden), written in black Nasta'liq script from 17th-18th cents. Mughal India. Dimensions of Written Surface: 13 (w) x 20.3 (h) cm The calligraphic specimen is neither dated nor signed. However, the decorative pattern and the style of the folio resemble folios inserted into albums produced during the 17th and 18th centuries in Mughal India. The text is executed in black nasta'liq script on a beige paper. The words are framed by cloud bands and placed on a gold background decorated with the painting of a tree and various flowers. The main text panel is framed by a border containing further verses in Persian on an illuminated background. The entire composition is then provided with a number of monochromatic frames and is pasted to a larger sheet of dark blue paper decorated with gold flowers and backed by cardboard. This calligraphic fragment includes an excerpt from Shaykh Sa'di's (d. 691/1292) "Gulistan" (The Rose Garden), in which the author offers advice (nasihat) about each man's necessities. For example, a minister (vazir) needs an army (lashgar) and eduction (tarbiyat), a farmer (ra'iyat) must observe [nature], kings need wise ministers, and brave men need weapons (silah) and horses (asp). Script: nasta'liq 1-89-154.163