AWARDED TO NEMAT FIKRIYA BINT AL-HAJJ 'ALI BEG BURSAVI BY IBRAHIM RUSHDI AL-KUTAHI KNOWN AS JAMALIZADEH, OTTOMAN TURKEY, DATED AH 1297/1879-80 AD

While little is known of the recipient of this calligraphic diploma or her teacher, it is a rare and important document that attests to the presence of women within calligraphic circles in the Ottoman era. In the eighteenth century, the world of calligraphy in Ottoman Turkey was male-dominated with only a handful of female calligraphers known, such as the renowned Esmâ Ibret (b.1780). Often considered the finest of female calligraphers, Ibret's valuable contributions to the art form may have paved the way for women, such as our scribe, to follow. For an example of female patronage in Ottoman Turkey, see a prayer book that sold in these Rooms, 24 October 2019, lot 158.