Folio from the late Shah Jahan Album with two poems and a couplet from the Divan of Amir Shahi (died 1453)

Page of calligraphy from the late Shah Jahan Album; two poems and a couplet from the Divan of AmirShahi; right-hand half of a double-page composition; text: Persian in black nasta’liq script; two columns; twelve lines of text; signed by Mir Ali Katib.
Border: The text is set in gold and green rulings in a pink and turquoise inner frame with gold, floral and leaf scroll, and a gold outer frame, mounted on a brown-colored paperboard with floral cartouches. The text is embellished with horizontal illuminated rectangles and column dividers.

Maker(s)
Calligrapher: Mir Ali Haravi (died ca. 1550)
Historical period(s)
ca. 1640-1650
Medium
Ink, opaque watercolor and gold on paper
Dimensions
H x W: 37 x 25.2 cm (14 9/16 x 9 15/16 in)
Geography
Iran (calligraphy); India (borders)
Credit Line
Purchase — Smithsonian Unrestricted Trust Funds, Smithsonian Collections Acquisition Program, and Dr. Arthur M. Sackler
Collection
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
Accession Number
S1986.92
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Manuscript
Type

Detached album folio

Keywords
Henri Vever collection, illumination, India, Iran, WWII-era provenance
Provenance
Provenance research underway.
Description

Page of calligraphy from the late Shah Jahan Album; two poems and a couplet from the Divan of AmirShahi; right-hand half of a double-page composition; text: Persian in black nasta'liq script; two columns; twelve lines of text; signed by Mir Ali Katib.
Border: The text is set in gold and green rulings in a pink and turquoise inner frame with gold, floral and leaf scroll, and a gold outer frame, mounted on a brown-colored paperboard with floral cartouches. The text is embellished with horizontal illuminated rectangles and column dividers.

Inscription(s)

Bottom page cartouche, “sinful Mir Ali katib, may God forgive him."

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. 342, pp. 290-291.
Collection Area(s)
Arts of the Islamic World, South Asian and Himalayan Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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