IRAN AND INDIA, 16TH CENTURY AND LATER

The majority of the calligraphic specimens in this album are signed by Mirza Husayn, also known as the renowned calligrapher Mishkin Qalam (1826-1912). Mirza Husayn was born in Isfahan in 1826 and was given his title Mishkin Qalam (the one with the ‘Musk Scented Pen’) by the Qajar ruler Nasir al-Din Shah whilst acting as his tutor in Tabriz. Once introduced to the Bahai Faith, he travelled to Adrianpole and became the scribe to the prophet and founder of the faith, Baha’ullah. After extensive travels to different cities as a result of the unrest and deportation of Baha’ullah, he eventually moved and lived in India in his later years and served the faith until his death in 1912 in Akka. The calligraphic specimens signed by Mirza Husayn are mostly dated to the last decade of his life which was spent in India and it is there that our album was likely assembled in the 19th century.

The contents of this album include:
Qajar watercolours with calligraphic borders attributed to 'Imad al-Hassani
Various 18th and 19th century shikasteh panels in gold clouds
A monochrome watercolour of an iris
A panel of naskh attributed to Ahmad al-Nayrzi, dated AH 1137/1724-25 AD and another signed by him at the Dar al-Sultanah, Isfahan, dated AH 1114/1702-03 AD
Similar panels signed by Muhammad Husayn, dated AH 1240/1824-33 AD, Muhammad al-Isfahani, dated AH 1189/1775-76 AD, and 'Abd al-'Ali dated AH 1223/1808-09 AD and AH 1234/1818-19 AD
An 18th century Indian oval miniature of a lion attacking an elephant
A copy of a portrait of Jahangir
Panels of nasta'liq calligraphy signed by 'Imad al-Hassani, one dated AH 1004/1595-96 AD
Further panels of naskh signed by 'Ali Hassani, and Ahmed 'Ali Muhammad Shafi' al-Tabrizi, dated AH 1213/1798-99 AD and AH 1239/1832-33 AD