Calligraphic Composition with Tughras

Reverse painting on glass is a decorative technique in which artists apply paint, gold leaf, and silver leaf to the back of a glass panel. The image is then viewed from the front, through the glass. The technique began in Europe and, after the seventeenth century, spread to China, India, Africa, and Iran. In Iran, it became especially popular in the early twentieth century, when artists used it to create portraits of rulers, princes, princesses, and royal couples.

This example features a mirror-image (musanna) calligraphic design with the name of God (Allah) and members of the Prophet’s family: Muhammad, ‘Ali, Fatima, Hasan, and Husayn. In the name of Imam ‘Ali, the letter "lam" ends in two semicircular blades shaped like those of a tabarzin (a battle axe often associated with Sufi dervishes).

The composition also includes several other Shi‘i inscriptions, arranged within crowns, medallions, cartouches, and tughra-like forms. One inscription reads: "There is no youth but ‘Ali and no sword but Zu’l Fiqar." The entire design is framed by a Qur’anic verse, Ayat al-Kursi (the Throne Verse) from Surat al-Baqara (Surah 2, "The Cow"). In this work, the calligrapher demonstrates great skill by using a wide variety of innovative scripts.