Mir Emad, XVI Century Innovative Calligrapher

Mir Emad, a distinguished calligrapher of the XVI^th century, is perhaps the first Iranian graphic designer who was intensely interested in typographical design. His bold and innovative designs have not yet been fully investigated, and their immense potential for creating modern typeface is just on the verge of revolutionizing the Iranian typographical design.

It is believed that the Nastaliq style reached its highest elegance, balance, and harmony in Mir Emad’s works which are amongst the finest specimens of Nastaliq calligraphy and are kept in several museums around the world. Moreover, the Mir Emad Calligraphy Museum in Tehran houses some of his works as well as samples of Iranian calligraphy from different periods.

Emad al-Molk Qazvini Hasani was born in 1554 in Qazvin; he is perhaps the most renowned Persian calligrapher.

Mir Emad lived most of his 61 years in the Safavid court, where his family held the royal librarian and accountant positions. His early education was at Qazvin, and he was trained in calligraphy under the guidance of Isa Rangkar. Later he joined the calligraphy studio of Malek Deylami, a master calligrapher. Soon his work was surpassing his master’s, and on the advice of Deylami Mir Emad traveled to Tabriz to study and work at the studio of Mohammad Hossein Tabrizi.

He traveled to Ottoman Turkey, Baghdad, Halab, and Hijaz, before starting his career at Semnan as a scribe in Shah Abbas’s library. However, the quality and vigor of his calligraphy was noticed and soon he was invited to the court at the capital city of Isfahan, where he joined Shah ’Abbas’s Royal Library in 1599. He was a true rival for Ali Reza Abbasi Tabrizi, the great court calligraphy master, who was also trained at the studio of Mohammad Hossein Tabrizi. He eventually fell out with the shah, either because of his arrogance, or his rivalry with Shah ’Abbas’s preferred calligrapher, ’Ali Riza ’Abbasi. He was assassinated on 15 August 1615.

Calligraphic illuminated page by Master Mir Emad

Source: Tehran Times