An imperial copy of Hafiz's Diwan, signed by 'Inayatullah Shirazi, Persia, Safavid, dated 977 AH/1569 AD

Persian manuscript on paper, 216 leaves plus 4 flyleaves, one leaf missing at beginning, 12 lines to the page, written in fine nasta'liq script in black ink on gold-sprinkled paper within 2 columns, blue intercolumnar rules, margins ruled in colours and gold, catchwords, headings in illuminated panels throughout, decorated with polychrome flowers against gold and blue grounds, f.1a representing one half of a double page illuminated frontispiece decorated with a rich interlace of polychrome flowers and chinoiserie cloud bands against blue and gold grounds, 3 further illuminated double page headpieces with scenes of animals and foliage decorating the outer margins, with text within cloud bands and interlinear interlacing flowers against a gold ground, red Ottoman leather binding with gilt-stamped cartouches and cornerpieces   

In generally good overall condition, one page missing at beginning, otherwise ink bold, pages generally clean, illumination bright, binding with some wear, spine repaired, as viewed.
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As stated in the dedication medallion on folio 1a, the present Diwan was produced for “the Sultan whose intelligence and wisdom has risen to heavens”. Since it was copied in 1569 it is very likely that the scribe is here referring to Shah Tahmasp, who reigned at the time. The calligrapher Inayatullah Shirazi was a celebrated master who worked for both the Safavid and Mughal courts, further suggesting that this manuscript was a royal commission. 

Inayatullah Shirazi in his early career worked for the Mughal emperors Akbar  (r.1556-1605), Jahangir (r.1605-1627) and Shah Jahan (r.1627-1658). He was an attendant to the court and a celebrated poet who used the pen-name Fursi. Apart from the Diwan-i Hafiz to hand, four further manuscripts copied by Inayatullah are recorded: an exquisite copy of Diwan-i Hafiz, dated 985 AH/1577 AD, in the Bastanshinasi Museum, Delhi; Mirkhuand’s Rawdat al-Safa, dated 979 AH/1571 AD, in the Sackler Gallery of Art, Washington D.C; a copy of Sa’adi’s Diwan, dated 964 AH/1556 AD, in the Edinburgh University Library [Pers.ms.104] (see Bayani 1943, p.541) and a copy of Kulliyat-i Sa’adi, illustrated by Siraj al-Din Qasim in the British Library [Or.1365] (published in Karimzadeh 1985, vol.I, p.217).

The sixteenth-century Ottoman binding suggests that the manuscript was perhaps a diplomatic gift to the Ottoman court, as do the Ottoman Turkish translations of various words which appear on numerous pages in red ink. The superb quality of the opening frontispiece and the three illuminated double page illustrations in the first half of the manuscript is a delight to the eye, rendering this manuscript extremely rare in terms of both its likely royal provenance and artistic quality.