SIGNED 'ABDAL-RASHID [DAYLAMI], MUGHAL INDIA, 17TH CENTURY; AND SIGNED MUHAMMAD 'ALI, LUCKNOW, NORTH INDIA, DATED AH 1199/1784-85 AD

Details

TWO NASTA'LIQ PANELS
SIGNED 'ABDAL-RASHID [DAYLAMI], MUGHAL INDIA, 17TH CENTURY; AND SIGNED MUHAMMAD 'ALI, LUCKNOW, NORTH INDIA, DATED AH 1199/1784-85 AD
The first comprising a quatrain in elegant large black nasta'liq in diagonal, within blue clouds against gold ground with polychrome illumination, within cream borders decorated in gilt lattice design decorated with flower heads, signed 'Abdul Rashid; the second with a quatrain in elegant black nasta'liq in diagonal, within illuminated navy margins, within cream borders decorated in gilt lattice designs, signed Muhammad 'Ali and dated AH 1199, both laid on plain cream card
First: 9 ¾ x 5 ¾in. (25 x 14.5cm.); folio 17 ¼ x 11 1/8in. (43.1 x 28.4cm.); second: 9 x 4 ½in. (23 x 11.5cm.); folio 17 ¼ x 11 1/8in. (43.1 x 28.4cm.)

Engraved

Panel 1 by 'Abdul Rashid: The text includes four principles of the Naqashbandi Sufi order, 'Awareness of one’s breath, watchfulness of one’s step, seclusion in company, travel in one’s homeland'

Panel 2 by Persian quatrain, unidentified poet

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Louise Broadhurst

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Lot Essay

Similar calligraphic panels signed by 'Abd al-Rashid al-Daylami can be found in an album from the Walters Art Museum, Baltimore (Walters Art Museum album, available online). Muhammad ‘Ali was a master calligrapher, active in Lucknow, whose work features on many of the Polier albums. A Polier album housed in the Victoria and Albert Museum which is purely dedicated to calligraphy bears a number of further specimens by Muhammad 'Ali (inv. no. 4765-1858). The fact that both these calligraphic panels are mounted in the same border indicates that they once belonged to the same Awadhi album.

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