THREE LOOSE POETIC PANELS OF NASTA’LIQ CALLIGRAPHY
Safavid Iran, 17th century and later

Comprising a fragment of fine Safavid calligraphy, four lines in Turkish and Persian from the opening to Qassim Anwar (1356 - 1433)’s diwan (complete works), in vertical, horizontal, and diagonal formats, in two different pens, within cloud-bands, the top right triangle illuminated with polychrome and gold scrolling foliage on cobalt blue ground, set within gold and blue rules, inscribed Mir 'Ali, laid on card, 19.7cm x 9.2cm; another with three hemistichs from Hafez’ ghazal 297, in diagonal kitabat pen, each line within illuminated diagonal triangles, above three Khorshid Khanom (lady sun) radiating visages against blue ground, set within gold, red, green, and black rules, laid on card, the text panel 9.5cm x 10.2cm, 19cm x 16.5cm including the board; and a loose folio of poetry by Sa’di in fine kitabat pen, including the opening to a Muqta’at book ('fragment', usually including less common forms of poetry), the text divided into two vertical columns in the centre and a diagonal side column, headings in blue and gold, illuminated with a scrolling floral motif, set within gold, black, and blue rules, 18.8cm x 9.8cm.