244 - A Nasta'liq calligraphic panel signed Muhammed Murad Kashmiri,

A Nasta'liq calligraphic panel signed Muhammed Murad Kashmiri, India, 18th century, Persian nasta'liq in black, 6ll. of script on a gold ground decorated with pink and blue floriated vine, with outer pale blue border decorated with gold flowers, the wider margins with stylised flower plants in gold, mounted Calligraphy 19.6 x 12.5cm; Folio 28 x 19cm Provenance: Private Collection UK The panel is signed by Muhammad Murad, who was a student of Muhammad Husayn Kashmiri, a master ofnasta’liq calligraphy. Another calligraphic panel signed by this artist and included within an 18th century Mughal album is in The Royal Collection, UK (RCIN 1005066). There are a few calligraphers with the name Muhammad Qasim, however, the absence of an attribute makes it impossible to identify him. One possible candidate is Muhammad Qasim Shadi Shah. Little is known about his life other than he was a skillednasta'liqcalligrapher, whose hand is compared with those of Sultan Muhammad Nur and Sultan Muhammad Khandan. His recorded work is dated between AH 932/AD 1525-26 and AH 955/AD 1548-49. See Mehdi Bayani,ahval va athar-e khushnavisan, vol. 3, Tehran, 1348 sh, pp. 807-809.