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Selections of Arabic, Persian, and Ottoman Calligraphy
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The feast of Iskandar and Nushabah
AUTHOR/CREATOR
Calligrapher: unknown
CREATED/PUBLISHED
16th century
NOTES
Dimensions of Painting: 18.6 (w) x 22.8 (h) cm
Dimensions of Written Surface: 13.7 (w) x 22.3 (h) cm
Script: nasta'liq
The painting on the recto and the text on the verso of this fragment describes an episode in Nizami's "Iskandarnamah" (The Book of Alexander the Great), the last text of the author's "Khamsah" (Quintet). In his work, the great Persian author Nizami (d. 614/1218) describes the adventures and battles of Alexander the Great as he travels to the end of the world.
On his way to the Land of Darkness, he visits the Queen of the Caucasian city of Barda, Nushabah in order to seek her financial and logistical support. Disguised as a messenger, Alexander nonetheless is recognized by Nushabah, who is familiar with his facial traits from a painting located in her treasure house of portraits. Though keeping his identity a secret, she organizes a large feast ('ishrat) for him and invites him to sit next to her on a golden throne. Servants and musicians surround the couple, as described in Nizami's text on the fragment's verso (see 1-86-154.122 V).
The text located above and below the painting is executed in fine Persian cursive script known as nasta'liq. Because the verses precede and follow a composition, they are outlined in cloud bands and located on an illuminated gold ground decorated with flower and vine motifs. The painting's composition is typical of illuminated manuscripts made in Shiraz (southwestern Iran) during the second half of the 16th century. These manuscripts were usually produced for the market rather than for a royal patron. This particular painting resembles another composition of the same subject sold at Sotheby's (London) on 10/18/1995 (Lot 17).
Nizami's "Iskandarnamah" has been translated into English by Minoo Southgate, "Iskandarnamah: a Persian Medieval Alexander-Romance" (New York: Columbia University Press, 1978).
Another painting from Nizami's "Khamsah" is also held in the collections of the Library of Congress (see 1-86-154.123).
SUBJECT
Illuminated Islamic manuscripts
Arabic script calligraphy
Nasta'liq
Arabic calligraphy
Islamic manuscripts
Islamic calligraphy
MEDIUM
22.7 (w) x 34.2 (h) cm
CALL NUMBER
1-86-154.122
REPOSITORY
Library of Congress, African and Middle Eastern Division, Washington, D.C. 20540
DIGITAL ID
ascs 145
http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.amed/ascs.145
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