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Lot Essay
The calligrapher of this manuscript, Mirza Fath ‘Ali, also known as Hijab Shirazi (d. AH 1269/1853 AD), was a poet and a celebrated calligrapher and a master of nasta’liq. He was born in Shiraz and was a student the celebrated calligraphy master, Mirza Kouchak Vesal. Many works by Fath ‘Ali are in museums in Tehran, amongst which are the Tarikh-e Mu’ajim, commissioned by Muhammad Shah Qajar, a copy of the Mathnavi of Rumi, and a copy of the Lavayeh of Jami, all housed in the Gulistan Museum Library (see Mehdi Bayani, Ahval va asar-e khosh-nevisan, Vol. II, Tehran 1346, sh., pp.565-67).
The fine lacquer binding of this diwan along with the one illustration - which depicts Majnun riding to visit Layla on a camel that is longing for its calf - are signed ya shah-i najaf ('Oh King of Najaf'). This is the crypto-signature of Najaf 'Ali or Aqa Najaf as he was also known, one of the most important artists of the period. Najaf ‘Ali specialised in painting on lacquer and often signed himself in the format used here, in honour of the Imam 'Ali who is buried at Najaf. Mostly active during the mid-19th century and later followed by his sons and other members of his family, he is recorded as being particularly fond of painting images of European women with delicate Qajar features. The ladies depicted on our bindings share very similar features with a scene depicted on a penbox attributed to Najaf ‘Ali in the Khalili collection, see Nasser D. Khalili, B.W Robinson and Tim Stanley, Lacquer of the Islamic Lands, The Nasser D. Khalili of Islamic Art, Part One, London and New York, 1996, pl.224, p.30.
The fine lacquer binding of this diwan along with the one illustration - which depicts Majnun riding to visit Layla on a camel that is longing for its calf - are signed ya shah-i najaf ('Oh King of Najaf'). This is the crypto-signature of Najaf 'Ali or Aqa Najaf as he was also known, one of the most important artists of the period. Najaf ‘Ali specialised in painting on lacquer and often signed himself in the format used here, in honour of the Imam 'Ali who is buried at Najaf. Mostly active during the mid-19th century and later followed by his sons and other members of his family, he is recorded as being particularly fond of painting images of European women with delicate Qajar features. The ladies depicted on our bindings share very similar features with a scene depicted on a penbox attributed to Najaf ‘Ali in the Khalili collection, see Nasser D. Khalili, B.W Robinson and Tim Stanley, Lacquer of the Islamic Lands, The Nasser D. Khalili of Islamic Art, Part One, London and New York, 1996, pl.224, p.30.