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This elaborately decorated page originally appeared in an album of paintings and works of calligraphy, with each page bearing works by a different artist. At least four artists’ work is visible here: one painted the figure gazing intently at a small book held in their hand. Two others were responsible for the calligraphic panels to the left of it: one signed his name below the lines of Persian poetry. Another artist painted the intricate floral borders in gold.
The larger of the two calligraphic texts reads:
Although your beautiful face is a rose garden
The anxiety of your sorrow pierces my heart.
View: Recto
Album page with girl reading and calligraphy
Probably painted by: Mirza 'Ali (Persian, active 1525–1575)
Safavid period
about 1570
Object Place: Iran
Medium/Technique
Opaque watercolor, ink and gold on paper
Dimensions
Height x width: 35 × 23.8 cm (13 3/4 × 9 3/8 in.)
Height x width (Image (Recto)): 21.4 × 10.5 cm (8 7/16 × 4 1/8 in.)
Height x width (Text (Verso)): 21.9 × 11.8 cm (8 5/8 × 4 5/8 in.)
Height x width (Image (Recto)): 21.4 × 10.5 cm (8 7/16 × 4 1/8 in.)
Height x width (Text (Verso)): 21.9 × 11.8 cm (8 5/8 × 4 5/8 in.)
Credit Line
Museum purchase with funds from the Francis Bartlett Donation of 1912 and by contribution
Accession Number14.593
CollectionsAsia, Islamic Art
ClassificationsCalligraphy
Paintings
Books and manuscripts
Paintings
Books and manuscripts
This elaborately decorated page originally appeared in an album of paintings and works of calligraphy, with each page bearing works by a different artist. At least four artists’ work is visible here: one painted the figure gazing intently at a small book held in their hand. Two others were responsible for the calligraphic panels to the left of it: one signed his name below the lines of Persian poetry. Another artist painted the intricate floral borders in gold.
The larger of the two calligraphic texts reads:
Although your beautiful face is a rose garden
The anxiety of your sorrow pierces my heart.
DescriptionAlbum page with painting of a girl reading on recto and calligraphy on verso. Verso, above right: verses from Ghazal 324 from the Diwan of Sa'adi, calligraphy by Shah Mahmud Nishapuri. Verso, below right: couplet by unknown poet. Verso, left: poem by unknown author inscribed in white ink, calligraphy by Salim. Recto, calligraphy to upper left of painting: Ghazal 126 from the Diwan of Amir Hasan Sijzi Dehlavi. Recto, calligraphy to lower left of painting: couplet by unknown poet.
InscriptionsCalligraphy signed by Shah Mahmud Nishapuri and Salim.
Recto, the larger of the two calligraphic texts, reads: "Although your beautiful face is a rose garden, The anxiety of your sorrow pierces my heart."
Recto, the larger of the two calligraphic texts, reads: "Although your beautiful face is a rose garden, The anxiety of your sorrow pierces my heart."
ProvenanceBy 1912, Victor Goloubew (b. 1879 - d. 1945), Paris [see note 1]; 1914, sold by Goloubew through M. Meyer-Riefstahl to the MFA for $76,999.81 (total price for 14.532-700). (Accession Date: June 4, 1914)
NOTES:
[1] Victor Goloubew was born in Russia but lived in Paris by the time of this acquisition. He formed this collection of Persian and Indian miniature paintings and exhibited it at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris from 1912 to 1914 (Paull, Florence Virginia. "The Goloubew Collection of Persian and Indian Paintings." Museum of Fine Arts Bulletin. Vol. XIII. No. 74. (February 1915) 1-16).
NOTES:
[1] Victor Goloubew was born in Russia but lived in Paris by the time of this acquisition. He formed this collection of Persian and Indian miniature paintings and exhibited it at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris from 1912 to 1914 (Paull, Florence Virginia. "The Goloubew Collection of Persian and Indian Paintings." Museum of Fine Arts Bulletin. Vol. XIII. No. 74. (February 1915) 1-16).