Courtly Women on a Moonlit Terrace

Markings

Inscriptions Inscribed, in Persian and Chagatai, in white cartouches framing central painting. Persian inscriptions, containing miscellaneous verses from the Khamsa of Nizami, are diagonally oriented. Chagatai inscriptions are oriented to the painting. Persian inscriptions in white cartouches [translated by Shadi Shafiei: {top of page, right to left:} I will become like the reviving moon. / Upon [hearing] words fresher than the exhilarating garden. / [Look] who are the famed and noble ones [of the time!] / The ones who have no artistic ability and taste. / {left side of page, center} A tasteless person would interfere with it. / {bottom of page, from right to left}: [Even] One tear-drop [falling] from a blind eye [would be too much] equates to [the whole water of] Tigris River. / They are darker than the soil’s essence flowing inside a flower. / Long-time deniers like people of [the tribe of] prophet Noah. / I don’t wane, but if I do [like the moon] I become greater. / {right side of page, center}: Would be a scar on the heart of these people.] Inscribed, in Persian, in orange cartouches on left and right side of painting, chapter titles for a book: [translated by Shadi Shafiei: {left, top to bottom}: On Alexander’s dreaming / On Zulqarnain’s arrival to the city of Cairo / {right, top to bottom}: On describing the beauty of Zarb girl / And parable and the ending of the story] [transliteration of Persian inscriptions in white cartouches: Man be sifat chon mah-i gardoun shavam / Bar sukhan-i tazi tar az bâgh-i rouh / Nâmzad o nâmvarânash kiând / Bi honar o bar honar âfsousgar / Bi hunari dast bidân dar zanad / Dejleh bovad ghatre-yi az cheshm-i kour / Tireh tar az gowhar-i gil dar guland / Munkir-i dirina chu ashab-i nuh / Nashkanam ar beshkanam afzoun shavam / Bar dil-i in ghowm jerâhat bovad] [transliteration of Persian inscriptions in orange cartouches: Khâb didan-i Iskandar / Âmâdan-i Zulqarnain bi shahr-i Misr / Dar sifat-i jamal-i doukhtar-i zarb(?) / Va tamsil o khatimi-yi dâstân]