Album folio with five pages of calligraphy
The three text pages on this folio are from the same copy of a Divan (Collection of poetry) by the poet Kamal Khujandi (died 1400). The last page, displayed on the lower right side, ends with the name of the calligrapher, Azhar Tabrizi, written in gold. Two smaller pages in the lower left side were once part of another manuscript that was probably penned by the same calligrapher.
Written in an elegant form of nasta‘liq, these fragments exemplify the minute script (khafi) that was used for copying manuscripts. Each hemistich (half of a verse) occupies one line of each column. Elongated and compressed horizontal strokes smoothly curve, whereas letters, syllables, and words pile up toward the end of each line. The fact that these fragments were later included in an album confirms how works by famous master calligraphers were collected and treasured.
Album folio with five pages of calligraphy
Signed by Azhar Tabrizi
Iran or Central Asia, Timurid period, ca. 1450
Borders: possibly Iran, ca. 1550–1600
Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper
Lent by the Art and History Collection LTS2002.2.1
