An illuminated muraqqa' of Ka'b ibn Zubayr's Qasida al-Burda, signed by Mustafa Izzet, Turkey, dated 1265 AH/1849 AD

Arabic manuscript on paper, laid down on 9 album pages comprising 16 panels of calligraphy, each with two lines of large thuluth text in black ink above and below two smaller lines of text in black naskh script, the interstices filled with fine gold and polychrome interlacing vines and split-palmettes, green leather binding with tooled rococo medallions enclosing the gilt tughra of Sultan Abdulmecid (r.1839-61), thick foliate gold border with crescent moon motifs

In very good overall condition, minor wear to binding, occasional light creasing, illumination bright and ink bold, as viewed.
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Mustafa Izzet

Perhaps the most celebrated calligrapher of the nineteenth century, Mustafa Izzet was born in Tosya in 1801. After his father's death he went to Istanbul to study and it is said that his beautiful singing voice attracted the attention of the Sultan Mahmud II during the Friday prayers in the Hidayet Mosque, as a result of which he entered training in the palace (enderun). As well as studying calligraphy with the Çömez Mustafa Vasif Efendi, he studied music and became an accomplished musician and composer. In order to avoid the military service for which the Sultan had apparently earmarked him, Mustafa Izzet went on pilgrimage, during the course of which he became a member of the Nasqshbandi Order, and then went to Egypt where he spent seven years. Returning to Istanbul in secret, apparently his voice was recognised by the sultan who gave the order for his punishment. On the intervention of Hüsrev Pasha, however, he was forgiven, and he remained in the palace as a musician until the sultan's death.

With the accession of Abdülmecid in 1839,  Mustafa Izzet embarked on a new career, taking up several important posts, including being preacher in Eyüp Mosque. One Friday, the Sultan attended prayers in the mosque and was so impressed by Mustafa Izzet's reading of the Khutba, he appointed him 'Second Imam' of the Empire, which is the title he signs his name with on this piece (see final page). He then went on to fill numerous high posts in Thessaloniki and Mecca, eventually becoming Kazasker, or Chief Military Judge, of the Balkans (Rumeli). It is this title (Kazasker) that his name is most commonly associated with. He continued to fulfil some of the highest administrative and religious posts in the empire, as well as acting as calligraphy tutor to the royal princes, until his death in 1876. For his biography see Şevket Rado, Türk Hattatlari, Istanbul 1984, pp.216-7 and M. Ugur Derman, Letters in Gold: Ottoman Calligraphy from the Sakıp Sabancı Collection, Istanbul, exh. cat., New York, 1989, pp.116-8.