Manuscript/Mixed Material A praise of calligraphy
About this Item
Title
- A praise of calligraphy
Names
- Muhammad Riza al-Din
Created / Published
- 1243/1828-9
Headings
- - Calligraphy, Arabic
- - Calligraphy, Persian
- - Manuscripts, Persian--Washington (D.C.)
- - Iran
- - Arabic script calligraphy
- - Illuminated Islamic manuscripts
- - Islamic calligraphy
- - Islamic manuscripts
- - Nasta'liq
Notes
- - Verses praising the practice of calligraphy written by calligrapher Muhammad Riza al-Din from 19th cent. Qajar era Iran.
- - Around the border of the text panel, the calligrapher Muhammad Riza al-Din specifies that he wrote (katabahu) the verses in 1243/1828-9. He also states that the piece is written for his glory ('izz) and dignity (sharaf), if it is accepted (gar qabul aftad). Although Muhammad Riza al-Din is not known, he appears to have been a calligrapher in the nasta'liq style active in 19th-century Iran.
- - Dimensions of Written Surface: 10.3 (w) x 19 (h) cm
- - I have brought a small vow (for you to be like) Asaf of Jam / I have used garnet, ruby, and emerald / They have said that beautiful handwriting is better than garnet and gems / I have brought (you) a house-full of gems as an offering
- - Qit'a nazr-i Asaf-i Jam iqtidar avarda-am / La'l u yaqut u zumurrud-ra bi-kar avarda-am / Khatt-i khush-ra bahtar az la'l u javahir gufta-and / Yak javahirkhana-ra bahr-i nisar avarda-am
- - The poet describes a fragment of a vow to be similar to a fragment (qit'a) of calligraphy (khatt-i khush), and as a result this panel functions as an offering (nisar) as precious as all the gems in the world. The blue border decorated with flecks of gold serves as a visual echo to the poem's contents.
- - This calligraphic fragment includes several verses praising the practice of calligraphy. Beginning with an invocation of "God, the Great" (Allahu Akbar), the verses then read:
- - Script: nasta'liq
- - 1-04-713.19.51
Medium
- 1 volume ; 23.6 (w) x 36.5 (h) cm
Repository
- Library of Congress African and Middle Eastern Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA
Digital Id
Library of Congress Control Number
- 2019714557
Online Format
- image