Arts of the Islamic World & India including Fine Rugs and Carpets

View full screen - View 1 of Lot 35. Hafiz (d.1390), Diwan, commissioned by Muhammad Ja’far Khan, copied by Fath'ali al-Shirazi, pen-named Hijab, in the Dar al-‘Ilm, Shiraz, Qajar Persia, dated 1267 AH/1850-51 AD..

Hafiz (d.1390), Diwan, commissioned by Muhammad Ja’far Khan, copied by Fath'ali al-Shirazi, pen-named Hijab, in the Dar al-‘Ilm, Shiraz, Qajar Persia, dated 1267 AH/1850-51 AD.

Auction Closed

March 30, 12:47 PM GMT

Estimate

6,000 - 8,000 GBP

Lot Details

Description

Persian manuscript on thick cream paper, 198 leaves plus 2 fly-leaves, 14 lines to the page, written in black nasta’liq on gold speckled paper, the text arranged in two columns, ruled in blue, red, green and gold, the outer margin ruled in red, gold and black, 2 illuminated polychrome bifolia on f.1b-2a and f.6b-7a, in a black leather binding with gilt lacquer cartouches decorated with polychrome flowers

29 by 18.5cm.

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Private UK Collection. Gifted to Nahid Iskander Mirza (d.2019), First Lady of Pakistan, December 1956, thence by descent.

Fath’ali Shirazi (d.1852, before he was 50 years old) is recorded as one the best Qajar nasta’liq calligraphers, a poet with the penname Hijab and a divan of some 7000 couplets. His recorded work, which includes a copy of the Lawayih of Jami made and presented to Muhammad Shah, is dated between 1258 AH (1842-43 AD) and 1263 AH (1846-47 AD), making this manuscript his latest recorded work (see M. Bayani, ahval va athar-e khoshnevisan-e nasta’liq, vol.ii, Tehran, 1346 AH/1969 AD).

The patron Muhammad Ja’far may be his father who is recorded as a unique engraver, well known in India and Afghanistan.

A hand written not on f.1a states that this manuscript was presented to the President of Pakistan and his wife Begum Iskandar Mirza as a memento on her trip to Pakistan. It is signed: ‘Layla Nayyir Nuri (Firuz) and dated 27. 10. 1335 AH (22 December 1956 AD)’.