Unknown - Hafez-Diwan - 1820

A highly decorative and pleasing folio of Kashmiri origin copied from the Dewan written by Mohammed Shama od-din Hafez (1329-1399). It is in very good condition. It is written in elegant nasta'liq in black ink on burnished paper by a fine calligrapher, with gold cloud separating the individual lines of script and beautiful arabesque decorations.

The 11 lines of scripture are divided top and bottom by horizontal arabesque divisions. these mark the boundary between separate poems (usually individual ghazals), rather then internal sub-divisions of one poem. they function therefore as a chapter break. The whole is framed with multiple framing lines including gold. The colours remain vibrant after 200 years.

The themes expressed in this folio are: of the fleetingness of life; love and longing; the tension between worldly ambition; and spiritual contentment and hope and expectation set against mortality.

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