Page of calligraphy

Detached album folio; Page of calligraphies; Persian in black nasta’liq script; four calligraphic panels: three couplets by sultan Mahmud al-Katib in the upper right-hand corner; two couplets by Shah-Muhammad in lower right-hand corner; two couplets by Sultan Muhammad Nur in lower left-hand corner; triangular embellishment above the lower left panel signed by Sultan Ali al-Mashhadi; two couplets in the upper left-hand corner; corners embellished with triangular illuminated panels.
Border: The text panels are set in gold, red, and blue rulings mounted on marbled gold-sprinkled paperboard.

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Maker(s)
Calligrapher: Sultan Muhammad Nur Sultan Mahmud Sultan 'Ali Mashhadi Shah Muhammad
Historical period(s)
Safavid period, 16th century; 1563 (970 A.H.)
Medium
Opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on paper
Dimensions
H x W: 47.1 x 32 cm (18 9/16 x 12 5/8 in)
Geography
Iran
Credit Line
Purchase — Smithsonian Unrestricted Trust Funds, Smithsonian Collections Acquisition Program, and Dr. Arthur M. Sackler
Collection
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
Accession Number
S1986.349
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Album, Calligraphy
Type

Detached album folio

Keywords
Henri Vever collection, Iran, nasta'liq script, Safavid period (1501 - 1722), WWII-era provenance
Provenance
Provenance information is currently unavailable
Description

Detached album folio; Page of calligraphies; Persian in black nasta'liq script; four calligraphic panels: three couplets by sultan Mahmud al-Katib in the upper right-hand corner; two couplets by Shah-Muhammad in lower right-hand corner; two couplets by Sultan Muhammad Nur in lower left-hand corner; triangular embellishment above the lower left panel signed by Sultan Ali al-Mashhadi; two couplets in the upper left-hand corner; corners embellished with triangular illuminated panels.
Border: The text panels are set in gold, red, and blue rulings mounted on marbled gold-sprinkled paperboard.

Inscription(s)

Upper right-hand side panel: al-Abd al-moznab Sultan Mahmud al-Katib dar Ahmad Abad neveshteh shoud in seneh 970.
“Written by the hand of sinful slave Mahmud al-Katib in Ahmad Abad in the year [A.H.] 970- [A.D. 1563]."
Lower right-hand corner: fagir Shah-Muhammad
" Poor Shah- Muhammad"
Lower left-hand corner: Mashgheh al-'abd Sultan Muhammad Noor, ghafr-u- tobeh.
“Written by the slave Sultan Muhammad Noor, may God forgive his sins."

Triangular embellishment above the lower left panel signed by Sultan Ali al-Mashhad

Published References
  • Glenn D. Lowry, Milo Cleveland Beach, Elisabeth West FitzHugh, Susan Nemanzee, Janet Snyder. An Annotated and Illustrated Checklist of the Vever Collection. Washington and Seattle. cat. 434, pp. 353-354.
Collection Area(s)
Arts of the Islamic World
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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