Lot 31: AN OTTOMAN BEKTASHI SUFI DEVOTIONAL CALLIGRAPHIC PAINTING OF IMAM ALI AND ZULFIQAR, 19TH CENTURY

This devotional calligraphic painting is executed in ink and pigment on paper, representing the folk art traditions of the Bektashi Sufi order within the Ottoman Empire. The central composition features a large calligraphic rendering of the name Ali in black ink, with a naturalistic depiction of the Imam’s face contained within the loop of the initial letter. Below the name is a representation of the bifurcated sword, Zulfiqar, rendered in red and silver-grey tones. To the right, a green Bektashi taj or turban rests on an ornate wooden pedestal stand with cabriole legs. The scene is set upon a white tiled floor with perspective lines. The central group is flanked by two tall white candles set into pale blue and white candlesticks, each bearing a circular medallion inscribed with the word Allah. Above the main figure are three paisley-shaped medallions containing calligraphic names in Thuluth script: Ya Imam Husayn, Ya Fatima, and Ya Imam Hasan. Two horizontal cartouches at the bottom contain verses in Ottoman Turkish praising Ali. A small cartouche in the lower-left corner outside the gold border contains the signature Resm-i Galib.

42 x 29cm