TEHRAN – A total of 33 Iranian calligraphic works, being kept at the Mir-Emad Calligraphy Museum in northern Tehran, have recently been inscribed on the national list for the intangible cultural heritage.

Dating from the Safavid (1501–1736) and Qajar (1789–1925) eras, the calligraphies are attributed to top artists of the time including Mir-Emad, Ahmad Neyrizi, and Abdol Majid Taleqani, amongst others, IRIB reported.

Mir Emad (1554 – 1615) is one of the most celebrated Persian calligraphers. It is widely believed that the Nasta’liq style of Persian calligraphy reached its highest elegance in Mir Emad’s works.

Nasta’liq script, the predominant style of Persian calligraphy during the 15th and 16th centuries was innovated by Mir Ali of Tabriz, the most famous calligrapher of the Timurid period (1402–1502).

A cursive script, Nasta’liq was a combination of the naskhi and ta’liq styles, featuring elongated horizontal strokes and exaggerated rounded forms. The diacritical marks were casually placed, and the lines were flowing rather than straight. Nasta’liq was frequently incorporated into the paintings of the early Safavid period (16th century) and is traditionally considered to be the most elegant of the Persian scripts.

AFM/