Album Leaf with Calligraphic Exercise (siyah mashq) 1817 - 1868

Curator: Looking at this "Album Leaf with Calligraphic Exercise," or siyah mashq, by Asadullah Shirazi—dating from the mid-19th century—I'm immediately struck by the energy of the piece. It's housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, here in New York City. Editor: It does have an extraordinary flow! I see elegant, overlapping lines and the way the forms twist and turn. Is that typical, this layering and density? Curator: Well, "siyah mashq" literally translates to "black exercise," hinting at its function. These weren't necessarily meant to be read as complete texts, but rather to practice and display the calligrapher's skill and control with the reed pen. So, yes, this dense composition, filling the page, is quite characteristic. Editor: So, it's like scales for a pianist? A beautiful kind of… practice doodle? It really draws you into the meticulous repetition of strokes. The discipline implied is quite amazing. Are those deliberate flecks of gold in the background or merely the paper showing through? Curator: Clever eyes! There is gold sprinkled in—that was intentional and adds to the luxuriousness, highlighting the skill. Shirazi was an incredibly well-regarded calligrapher in the Qajar period in Persia, and this is a really wonderful example of how valued this art form was. Beyond religious contexts, calligraphy demonstrated social and artistic status. Editor: I love thinking about the context of learning through imitation and repetition, almost a meditative practice and you are right there is such an opulence within the artistry. I was caught off guard by the rich plum border which in my mind amplifies the modern sensibility. I was not anticipating how captivating I would find handwriting practice! Curator: It really challenges our typical expectations of what constitutes art, doesn’t it? That functionality—the exercise element—existing alongside such aesthetic beauty is a unique quality. Editor: Yes, now when I write a shopping list I’ll secretly be thinking… practice makes perfect artwork!