Mir Emad Hassani

Lore & Background

Mir Emad was born in Qazvin, where he had his early education. His family held librarian and accountant positions in the Safavid court. He trained in calligraphy first under Isa Rangkar, then Malek Deylami, and later moved to Tabriz to study with Mohammad Hossein Tabrizi. He subsequently traveled to Ottoman Turkey, Baghdad, Halab, and Hijaz before returning to Semnan, where he worked as a scribe in Shah Abbas's library and later in the court in Isfahan. In Shah Abbas's court, Mir Emad faced rivalry from Ali Reza Abbasi Tabrizi, another famous calligrapher who had also been a pupil of Mohammad Hossein Tabrizi and later became Mir Emad's opponent. Mir Emad was later accused of being Sunni, a branch of Islam not tolerated under the Safavids, and was implicitly sentenced to death by Shah Abbas. On his way to the Hamam at night, he was assassinated by Masoud Bek Mesgar Qazvini. For several days no one dared to bury his corpse; finally his pupil Aboutorab Esfahani buried him in Maghsoudbeyk mosque, and he was not allowed to build a mausoleum for Mir Emad.

Reader's Guide

Mir Emad Hassani is regarded as perhaps the most celebrated Persian calligrapher, with his works considered among the finest specimens of Nastaʿlīq calligraphy. His significance lies in the belief that the Nastaʿlīq style reached its highest elegance in his hands. A dissertation on penmanship, 'Adab al-Masq', is attributed to him. His legacy extends through his family: his daughter Goharshad was an adept calligrapher, as was her husband Mir Mohammad Ali and their sons Mir Rashid, Mir Abd al-Razzaq, and Mir Yahya. His son Mirza Ebrahim is also known to be a calligrapher, as is Mohammad Amin, Mirza Ebrahim's son. His works are kept in several museums worldwide.

Did You Know?

• Mir Emad was trained in calligraphy first by Isa Rangkar, then Malek Deylami, and later by Mohammad Hossein Tabrizi in Tabriz.
• He traveled to Ottoman Turkey, Baghdad, Halab, and Hijaz before returning to work as a scribe in Shah Abbas's library.
• He was assassinated on his way to the Hamam at night by Masoud Bek Mesgar Qazvini.
• For several days after his death, no one dared to bury his corpse; his pupil Aboutorab Esfahani finally buried him in Maghsoudbeyk mosque.
• A dissertation on penmanship called 'Adab al-Masq' is attributed to Mir Emad.