Artwork Page for Calligraphy (verso)

Details / Information for Calligraphy (verso)

Calligraphy (verso)

c. 1640–60

India, Deccan, 17th century

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Medium
Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
Measurements
Page: 40.5 x 28.9 cm (15 15/16 x 11 3/8 in.)
Credit Line
Gift in honor of Madeline Neves Clapp; Gift of Mrs. Henry White Cannon by exchange; Bequest of Louise T. Cooper; Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund; From the Catherine and Ralph Benkaim Collection 2013.289.b
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
Print

Description

The text of the poem praises the season of spring, with mystical undertones. The Persian verses are written from right to left in the cursive form of Arabic script known as nasta‘liq. "It is springtime friends! Time to nurse the carnal wants: Wine, a minstrel, a pretty face, a secluded corner in a garden. What would I have done given my lack of means, If my heart did not have a cure for searing longings? My heart derives from the bounteous Sea of Compassion Its self-abnegating otherworldliness, an ever-radiant night glowing gem." The poem may be related to the painting of the African musician on the other side, subtly perpetuating the stereotypical association of African men with lustful desires, music, and dance.
A vertical manuscript page features six horizontal rows of black Persian calligraphy, each enclosed within an off-white, scalloped cloud-like band. Small blue and green floral sprays decorate the gaps between these shapes. Multiple thin gold and blue borders frame the central panel. The outermost border is a wide, tan band densely speckled with shimmering gold leaf flakes, creating a rich, textured surround for the elegant verses.

Calligraphy (verso)

c. 1640–60

India, Deccan, 17th century

See Also

  • Collection
    Indian
  • Department
    Indian and Southeast Asian Art
  • Type of artwork
    Painting
  • Medium
    Tempera
  • Credit line
    Gift In Honor of Madeline Neves Clapp; Gift of Mrs. Henry White Cannon by Exchange; Bequest of Louise T. Cooper; Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund; From the Catherine and Ralph Benkaim Collection

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