CalligraphyIslamic19th century

Calligraphic Emblem of `Ali Jinab Navab Sayyid Mustafa `Ali Khan Sahib Bahadur

early 19th century

Description

Tughra, a stylized calligraphic insignia or signature, comes in different forms. The design shown here—comprising repeated vertical shafts (“flags”), concentric loops (“eggs”), and tails (“daggers”)—is typically identified with Ottoman sultans but was adopted by some Muslim rulers in India. It gives the name ʿAli Jinab Navab Sayyid Mustafa ʿAli Khan Sahib Bahadur and ends with the Arabic phrase “May his prosperity be everlasting” (dama iqbaluhu). The honorific titles indicate that the person was probably a ruler of a princely state during the British India period. The sinuous calligraphic emblem is placed amidst a field of large pink roses to create this flamboyant composition.

Classification

Calligraphy

Medium

Ink and opaque watercolor on paper

Culture

Islamic

Century

19th century

Division

Asian and Mediterranean Art

Department

Department of Islamic & Later Indian Art

Dimensions

26.9 x 35.2 cm (10 9/16 x 13 7/8 in.)

Provenance

[Oliver Hoare, London, 23 April 1982], sold; to Edwin Binney, 3rd, 1982, bequest; to Harvard University Art Museums, 1985.

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