Folio 24 from an Album of Calligraphic Panels 17th-18th century

Editor: This is Folio 24 from an Album of Calligraphic Panels by Muhammad Qasim. The black script against the golden background gives it a very formal, reverent feel. What do you make of it? Curator: It feels like music, doesn’t it? The calligraphy cascades across the page, almost as if the words are dancing. I imagine Qasim meticulously shaping each letter, perhaps contemplating the deeper meaning of the text. Editor: Dancing words, I like that! Do you know what the text says? Curator: I don’t read Arabic myself, but I wonder if the visual rhythm is as important as the literal meaning. Perhaps it's meant to evoke a feeling more than deliver a message? Editor: That's a great point. It's beautiful, whether or not I understand the words. Curator: Exactly! Sometimes art speaks to us in ways that bypass our intellect entirely.