Artwork
Page from the Poem of Beauty and Love
Page from the Poem of Beauty and Love is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1848 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The work is a painted representation of a single page from a poetic manuscript.
About this work
Overview
The work is a painted representation of a single page from a poetic manuscript. The composition is rectangular, framed by a decorative border, and the central field contains calligraphic text rendered in black ink with occasional gold embellishments.
Subject & Meaning
The depicted text appears to be a verse from a poem traditionally associated with themes of beauty and love, written in a script reminiscent of Arabic or Persian calligraphy. The ornamental treatment of the letters suggests an intention to elevate the poetic content through visual elegance.
Technique & Style
The artist employed hand‑drawn calligraphic strokes, emphasizing fluidity and intricate flourishes. Gold leaf or pigment is applied to highlight select elements of the border and certain letterforms, creating a contrast with the matte black ink and imparting a sense of luxury.
History & Provenance
No specific information about the creator, date, or original manuscript is provided. The work is presented as a standalone painted page, likely derived from a larger literary codex that once existed in a private or courtly collection.
Context
Manuscript pages such as this were commonly produced in the Islamic world, where poetry and calligraphy were intertwined arts. The use of gold and elaborate borders aligns with the aesthetic conventions of luxury book production in Persianate cultures.
Artist & collection
Calligraphy of a Pious Invocation in Rhyme (verso)
Page from the Late Shah Jahan Album: Calligraphy Framed by an Ornamental Border with Poppies and Pairs of Birds (verso)
Page from a Panj Ganj (Five Treasures) of Abd al-Rahman Jami (Persian, 1414–1492), with two Persian masnavis: Yusuf va Zulaykha (Joseph and Zulaykha) and Subhat al-abrar (Rosary of the Righteous) (verso)
Text of Rustam and Suhrab, from the Shah-nama of Firdausi (Persian, c. 934–1020) (recto)
Illuminated page (verso), from a Panj Ganj (Five Treasures) of Abd al- Rahman Jami (Persian, 1414–1492) with two Persian masnavis: Yusuf va Zulaykha (Joseph and Zulaykha) and Khirad-nama-i Iskandari (Alexander’s Book of Wisdom)