Mir ’Ali Hiravi signed as katib-i sultani (sultan’s scribe) on books he transcribed. He was born in Herat and educated in Mashhad. Mir ’Ali was an unsurpassed master of calligraphy. In 1538, ’Ubayd Allah Khan brought a large group of scholars, craftsmen and artists together with Mir ’Ali Hiravi from Herat to Bukhara. Several copies of works by classical poets were transcribed by Mir ’Ali (Inventory Nos. 2298, 9700).
Mir Husayn Kulanki Bukhari was forcibly brought by Ubaydulla-khan to Bukhara with a group of craftsmen in 1538. He transcribed many works of Ubaydаllahkhan including his “Diwan-i Ubaydi” (Inventory No. 8931).
Sayid Abdallah Bukhari (d. 1647) is known under the pen names of Darvesh Abdi and Mawlawi. He is the scribe of the ”Shah-nama” by Firdawsi.
Khwaja Yadgar (d. 1663) was a calligrapher in the reign of ’Abd al-’Aziz Khan and matchless master of Nasta’liq script. He transcribed many works by Hafiz.
Fazil Diwana (18th – 19th centuries) is one of the most skilled calligraphers of books in Persian who lived as a dervish in guzar (quarter) near Bukhara, not far from the Mazari-Sharif gate. He was a scribe of Bedil’s works (Inventory No. 11267).
Ahmad Dоnish (1826 – 1897) was t he g reat t hinker a nd e xcellent c alligrapher. Manuscripts transcribed by his own hand he decorated with gilting, ornamental inserts and miniatures. The Institute’s collection possesses a series of works transcribed by Ahmad Dоnish (Inventory Nos. 2187, 2776, 2941).
You can learn more about this topic in the book-album “The Collection of the Al-Biruni Institute of Oriental studies, the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan” (part five, “Miniature and Calligraphy”) (Volume XXV) from the series "The Cultural Legacy of Uzbekistan".
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