FOUR ILLUMINATED FOLIOS OF NASTA'LIQ CALLIGRAPHY
Iran, 16th - 18th century

Persian manuscripts on paper, comprising two folios from the same Kulliyat of Sa’di in double-page format, 20ll. to each folio, the verso with an extract from the Bustan, the recto instead from the Gulistan, including Hikayat 27 regarding the wrestling master and pupil, the black ink nasta’liq text arranged in three columns divided by cobalt blue bands, the outer one in diagonals, the text gathered in gold cloudbands, marked with red and blue floral points, the margin with gold illumination containing flowering trees, deer, and storks, in blue, red, and gold rules, laid on later marbled card sprinkled with gold, the text panel 16cm x 8.2cm, the original folio 28.3cm x 17.5cm, the expanded folio 42.2cm x 30cm; another album page containing a ruba’i in chalipa format, inscribed Mir Ali, the text reserved against a highly burnished gold ground, within a double border of gold sprinkled green and gold-illuminated blue, the later-dated outer margin enhanced with polychrome flowers on a gold ground, laid on a blue card, the text panel 15.3cm x 7.3cm, the folio 36.5cm x 24.7cm; and another calligraphic composition, 2ll. (hemistichs) of crisp black ink nasta’liq script gathered in gold cloudbands reserved against a floral field, within illuminated double borders, laid on gold-illuminated dark blue card, the text panel 8cm x 12.5cm, the folio 19.7cm x 31.2cm.