Prof. Nassar Mansour

Acquired directly from the artist by the present owner

Condition: This work is in good condition. There is mark on top right and bottom right edges. Slight creasing is visible on inspection on top left corner, bottom right corner, top centre and around the lower centre. There is a minor repaired tear running along a line on lower centre with very slight medium loss on its right. The work is sold as framed.
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inscription:

Qu'ran, surah al-baqarah (II), verse 255 (ayat al-kursi)

This unique calligraphic panel by the renowned artist and calligrapher Professor Nassar Mansour, presents the Ayat al-Kursi from Surah al-Baqarah and epitomises the monumental muhaqqaq script initiated by the calligraphy of the so-called 'Baysunghur' Qur'an of the early 15^th century.

This vast Qur'an, associated with the Timurid prince Baysunghur Ibn Sharukh, himself a great bibliophile and calligrapher, was copied in seven lines on enormous sheets of paper measuring about 177 by 101cm. The script used in the manuscript is a confident and impressive muhaqqaq which is notable for its 'sword-like' descending waw and ra' letters, as well as the meticulous execution of the letter alif, and its overall well-balanced proportions.

The Ayat al-Kursi or Throne Verse (Surah Baqarah V 255) is not only recited often by the Muslims but is a symbol of protection in the Islamic world - either worn as an amulet or as a print or painting in Muslim houses. The nearest analogy in the Western world would be the crucifix which is either worn or its image hung in Christian houses.

In this work, Mansour utilizes the muhaqqaq script. Amongst the cursive scripts this is the grandest and was favoured in the Eastern Islamic world for inscribing Qur'anic manuscripts when it was replaced by a smaller script known as naskh by the Ottomans.  This is the first time that muhaqqaq has been used since the 16th century and it is the hope of the artist to revive this script to its full glory. More specifically, the work is in jalil al-muhaqqaq script. It is the first time in four hundred years after the Ottoman master, Ahmad Karahisari (d. 1556) and his loyal pupil Hasan Chalabi (d. 1594) last used it in their work.

The alternate usage of brown ink bounded with gold and crushed gold outlined with brown ink is clearly inspired from the famous Il Khanid Mushaf inscribed for the Sultan Uljeitu by the great Ahmed as Suharwardy in the early 14th century. The illumination is made on the style of the famous Mamluk illuminator Muhammad ibn Mubadir who was commissioned by Sultan Baybars in the late 13th century. Where Mubadir used two shades of colour in his outer border to fill in the floral petals, in this painting only one shade of blue has been used.   The braided pattern surrounding this panel of the Ayat al-Kursi is clearly inspired by a verse from the Quran which states "Hold fast to the Rope of Allah" (Surah III: 104-105). The outer scrolling floral border which is gilded lavishly recalls the Verse of Light (Surah Nur: v. 35) reaching the hearts.

Professor Nassar Mansour and Tajammul Hussain.