Arts of the Islamic World & India including Fine Rugs and Carpets

A large illuminated Qur'an, copied by Abdullah al-Qadir al-Husayni, Persia, Safavid, Shiraz, 16th century

Auction Closed

March 31, 12:40 PM GMT

Estimate

50,000 - 80,000 GBP

Lot Details

Description

Arabic manuscript on buff paper, 371 pages plus 4 flyleaves, 12 lines to the page, written in black naskh, verses separated by gold and polychrome pointed floral roundels, sura headings in white cursive script against gold ground within cusped cartouches on illuminated panels, some including words in naskh within clouds on reserved ground, margins ruled in colours and gold, catchwords, occasional marginal notes, marginal verse markers in the form of quatrefoil and drop-shaped illuminated medallions, two frontispiece bifolios with fine, full-page illumination in polychrome and gold, the following folio with an illuminated headpiece, two finispiece bifolios with similar full-page illumination, in gilt stamped brown morocco binding, the doublures of brown morocco with fine, cut-out gilt and black scrolling arabesques over blue ground

32.4 by 21.5cm.

text panel: 18.8 by 11.5cm.

This magnificent and well-preserved Qur'an has all the hallmarks of the most refined manuscripts of the Safavid period. Copies of the Qur'an, as well as illustrated manuscripts, formed part of the trade that passed over the Ottoman-Safavid border in spite of the hostile relations between the two empires that continued for much of the sixteenth century. That Safavid Qur'ans such as this one were particularly cherished in the Ottoman realms is demonstrated by their inclusion among the list of objects brought as gifts by Safavid envoys to the Ottoman court.

A comparable Qur'an to the present manuscript was included in the exhibition Ink and Gold at the Museum für Islamische Kunst, Berlin and published in the accompanying catalogue (See M. Fraser & W. Kwiatkowski, Ink and Gold, London, 2006, pp.118-121, no.35). Other similar Qur'ans were sold in these rooms 9 October 2013, lot 53, 6 October 2010, lot 15, 1 April 2009, lot 12 and 27 April 1994, lot 19.