Calligraphic composition, Safavid Iran, 16th century, signed Mîr 'Alî Composition of six oblique lines of text in Persian nast'aliq in black ink, in reserve on a background illuminated in gold and polychrome with a decoration of vegetal foliage punctuated by a scattering of flowers. The text corresponds to the beginning of the preface to Sa'adi's Golestan. Mounted as an album page on gilt-margined card. Framed. Dim. calligraphy: 24 x 17 cm; dim. total: 34.6 x 26.2 cm Some wear and folds, page shortened at edges. Provenance : - Boisgirard Antonini sale, Paris, April 14, 1986, no. 313. - Former Nourhan Manoukian collection (Constantinople 1906 - Paris 1993). By descent. Several renowned calligraphers bear the name Mîr 'Alî, but the vertical format of the qit'a, the oblique arrangement of the verses framed by two illuminated spandrels and the style of the nasta'liq point to the great Safavid calligrapher Mîr 'Alî Heravî al-Kâtib (d. 1556) or his workshop. Born in Herat in 1476, Mîr 'Alî worked in Bukhara for the Shaybanids after the capture of his native city in 1528. Considered a great master of nasta'liq calligraphy, he signed a large number of qit'a, many of which are known in albums. His dated works range from 1508 to 1544. According to the Ottoman chronicler Mustafa 'Alî, the artist allowed his pupils to put his signature on their works, which calls for caution in attributing this work to the master. A composition very similar to this one sold at Christie's in London on April 24, 2015 (lot 158). Bibliography: BLAIR, Sheila S., Islamic Calligraphy, Edinburgh University Press Ltd, Edinburgh: 2006, pp 430, 466, 467.