TWO PANELS OF SHIKASTEH NASTA’LIQ CALLIGRAPHY
Qajar Iran, 19th century

Persian manuscripts on paper, comprising a panel with a hikayat (moralising prose) passage in chevron-format diagonals on gold-sprinkled paper, the text spreading across and outflowing from three vertical columns, encased within an illuminated border of fine vegetal meanders with flowers, signed Ahmad Shamlu, dated 1242 AH (1827 AD), set within black, white, and gold rules, with a pale pink outer border, mounted on buff paper, framed and glazed, the text panel 17.5cm x 10.5cm, 28cm x 18.5cm including the frame; and another panel, the text in two reed pens of different thickness, the finer kitabat text spreading in four different directions, set within a gold-sprinkled border, laid on printed silver paper, framed and glazed, the text panel 7cm x 10.3cm, 20.5cm x 28.5cm including the frame.