Ghazal by Sa'di

A lyric poem (ghazal) by the Persian poet Shaykh Sa'di (d. 691/1292) written in the Nasta'liq script during the Safavid era from Iran. Dimensions of Written Surface: 10.5 (w) x 21.8 (h) cm The corners left open by the intersection of the diagonal verses and the rectangular frame are decorated by illuminated triangles (or thumb pieces). The text panel is framed by a border consisting of cream-colored paper decorated with gold flecks cut out and pasted to the folio. The composition is placed on a larger beige sheet of paper decorated with deer, birds, and various vegetal motifs. The fragment is neither dated nor signed. However, it appears to have been produced in Safavid Iran and placed later into an album (muraqqa') of calligraphies. The verses are written in nasta'liq script using white, light blue, red, and yellow ink on a blue paper. Colored (rangin) inks add variety to the composition and are found in a number of calligraphies produced during the 16th century. This calligraphic fragment contains a lyric poem (ghazal) by the Persian poet Shaykh Sa'di (d. 691/1292). The verses describe a lover's search for his beloved and his request that she show herself to him. Script: nasta'liq 1-85-154.71