Lot 228 A MUGHAL FISH-FORM BASMALAH CALLIGRAPHIC COMPOSITION, INDIA EARLY 20TH CENTURY

Arabic manuscript on paper, featuring a composition of the Basmalah arranged in the stylised form of a fish. Executed in deep cobalt-blue ink richly embellished with gold floral and arabesque decoration, the elongated and interlacing letterforms are ingeniously manipulated to create the silhouette of the aquatic creature. The composition is set against a plain ivory ground and enclosed within finely ruled polychrome borders in green, blue, red and gold, with a broad outer mount enhancing the monumental character of the design. The intricate gilded ornamentation within the letterforms creates a particularly refined contrast with the intense blue ground, combining calligraphic virtuosity with ornamental illumination.

23 by 36 cm