MirEmad

Mir Emad (born Emad al-Molk Qazvini Hasani (Persian: میرعماد حسنی قزوینی)‎ 1554 – August 15, 1615) is perhaps the most celebrated Persian calligrapher. It is believed that the Nasta’liq style reached its highest elegance in Mir Emad’s works.[2] These are amongst the finest specimens of Nasta’liq calligraphy and are kept in several museums in the world.
Contents

• 1Early life and education
• 2Rivalry with Ali Reza Abbasi
• 3Death
• 4Works and legacy
• 5See also
• 6References
Early life and education
Mir Emad was born in Qazvin, where he had his early education. Mir Emad’s family had librarian and accountant positions in Safavid court. He was trained in calligraphy at first by Isa Rangkar and then Malek Deylami. Mir Emad later on moved to Tabriz to study with Mohammad Hossein Tabrizi. Afterward, he traveled to Ottoman Turkey, Baghdad,Halab and Hijaz. He returned to Semnan and worked as a scribe in Shah Abbas’s library and later on his court in the capital of Isfahan.
Rivalry with Ali Reza Abbasi[edit]
In Shah Abbas’s court, Mir Emad was not the only calligrapher. Ali Reza Abbasi Tabrizi, another famous calligrapher, was also under Shah’s patronage. Ali Reza Abbasi’s was also a pupil of Mohammad Hossein Tabrizi (Mir Emad’s teacher) and later on became Mir Emad’s opponent.
Death
Mir Emad was later alleged of being Sunni, a branch of Islam which was not tolerated under Safavids, and implicitly sentenced to death by Shah Abbas. In a night, on his way to Hamam, Mir Emad was assassinated by Masud Beik Mesgar Qazvini, and for several days no one dared to bury his corpse. Finally his pupil, Abu Torab Khattat Esfahani, buried him in Maghsoudbeyk mosque. He was not allowed to build a mausoleum for Mir Emad.
Works and legacy
“Adab al-Masq”, a dissertation on penmanship, is attributed to Mir Emad. Goharshad, Mir Emad’s daughter, was also an adept calligrapher. So was her husband, Mir Mohammad Ali, and her sons Mir Rashid, Mir Abd al-Razzaq and Mir Yahya. Mir Emad’s son, Mirza Ebrahim, is also known to be a calligrapher. So is Mohammad Amin, Mirza Ebrahim’s son.