Rare calligraphie montée sur une grande page d'album (Siyah Mashq), par Mirza Mohammad-Reza Kalhor, Iran, art qajar, XIXème siècle

encre, gouache et or sur papier collé sur une page cartonnée, texte persan en shekasteh en réserve sur un fond or garni de rinceaux, double-marges vertes et bleues à motifs dorés

The margins are from a later period than the calligraphic panel. There are damages to the paper background. The ink is worn and erased as visible in the catalogue illustration. There is a brown stain in the lower part of the calligraphy. The signature reads : Mohammad Reza it is visible in the top right part of the calligraphy.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Mirza Mohammad-Reza Kalhor (1829 - 1892), known as Fakhr al-Kuttab (Pride of Calligraphers), was one of the most important Persian calligraphers of the 19th century, often compared to the great masters of nasta'liq such as Mir 'Ali al-Harawi and Mir Emad Sayfi Qazvini. He was born in Western Persia, in the Kalhor tribe of Kermansah. He developped interest in calligraphy since he was young and started under Mirza Mohammed Kansari in Tehran then he moved to Qazvin and Isfahan, to devote his attention to copying the original works of the great masters. He later attracted with his talent the attention of Nasir-al-Din Shah, who invited Kalhor to train him. The work of Kalhor is a perfect example of the later Persian calligraphy and its innovative spirit. He was credited with reviving the style of nasta'liq script developed by the master Mir Emad. Indeed, Mir Emad successors in the 17th and early 18th century had developed a more elongated style of nasta'liq with wider spaces between words. Kalhor used a more compact tradition, writing words in a smaller scale in a single motion, shortening the strokes and connectors, and piling words together to create a thicker skeleton. Our panel is a perfect illustration of this traditional and typical to Kalhor's style. Kalhor's contributions to the later Persian calligraphy serve as a reminder to the innovative spirit of the 19th century Persian calligraphers. He took liberties and did not follow the parameters of the canon introducing innovations with lasting effects. Kalhor destroyed most of his work as unsatisfactory, and therefore panels suchs as ours are rare. In addition, most of his works are unsigned, making ours more exceptionnal. For more information about the calligrapher, see: Encyclopaedia Iranica, M. Ekhtiar, Kalhor, Mirza Mohammad-Reza, vol.XV, fasc.4, 2010, pp. 381-382 ; S.S. Blair, Islamic Calligraphy, Edinburgh University Press, 2006, pp. 445-447; M. Bayani, Ahval va-Asar-e Khoshnevisan, vol.II, Tehran, 1988, p. 731, no.1050 ;  M. Almâsi, Âbru-ye faqr: rewâyat-i az zendagâni-e Mirzâ Mohammad-Rezâ Kalhor, košnevis-e bozorg-e 'ahd-e Qâjâr, Tehran, 2000 ; Mirza Mohammad Reza Kalhor, "Siah-Mashgh Collection", Art Center, Iranian Ministry of Culture, Tehran, 1992 ; H. Fazaeli, Atlas-e Khat: tahqiq dar-e eslâmi, Isfahan, 1983, pp. 591-594.