Calligraphy plate, Iran, Safavid style Steel plate in the form of a poly-lobed cartouche, cut and openworked with calligraphic decoration on a background of spiral plant scrolls and garnished with fleurons, rosettes and foliage. The inscription, in Arabic thuluth, is a religious invocation: "Ya Allah ya Muhammad". 21 x 40 cm Missing and oxidized. In the Safavid era, this type of plaque played both a decorative and religious role, often adorning the entrance to mausoleums, mosques or Koranic schools.