Folio from a Qur’an, Sura 94:1-8; Sura 95:1-8; Sura 96:1-19; Sura 97:1-5; and the heading of Sura 98

Detached folio from a dispersed copy of the Qur’an; recto: Sura al-Sharh (the Expansion) 94: 1-8; Sura al-Tin (the Fig) 95: 1-8; Sura al- ‘Alaq (the Clot) 96: 1-3, recto begins with “bismillah”, one column, 12 lines of text; verso: Sura 96: 4-19; Sura al-Qadr (the Power) 97:1-5 and the heading of Sura al-Bayyina (the Clear Evidence) 98, verso begins with “al-ladhi allama”,one column, 10 lines of text; Arabic in black muhaqqaq script; illuminated headings in thuluth script; illuminated rosette verse markers, marginal roundel medallion contain the word “sajda”, vocalized in black, letters for recitation in black highlighted with red above the lines; one of a group of 5 folios.
Border: The text is set in gold, blue, and black rulings on cream-colored paper.

Historical period(s)
Mamluk period, mid-14th century
Medium
Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper
Dimensions
H x W: 41.1 x 32.5 cm (16 3/16 x 12 13/16 in)
Geography
Egypt
Credit Line
Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Accession Number
F1930.58
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Manuscript
Type

Manuscript folio

Keywords
Egypt, illumination, Islam, Mamluk period (1250 - 1517), muhaqqaq script, Qur'an, sura 94, sura 95, sura 96, sura 97, sura 98, thuluth script
Provenance

To 1930
Kirkor Minassian, New York to 1930 [1]

From 1930
Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from Kirkor Minassian, New York in 1930 [2]

Notes:

[1] Object file, undated folder sheet note.

[2] See note 1. Also see Freer Gallery of Art Purchase List file, Collections Management Office.

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

Kirkor Minassian 1874-1944

Description

Detached folio from a dispersed copy of the Qur'an; recto: Sura al-Sharh (the Expansion) 94: 1-8; Sura al-Tin (the Fig) 95: 1-8; Sura al- 'Alaq (the Clot) 96: 1-3, recto begins with "bismillah", one column, 12 lines of text; verso: Sura 96: 4-19; Sura al-Qadr (the Power) 97:1-5 and the heading of Sura al-Bayyina (the Clear Evidence) 98, verso begins with "al-ladhi allama",one column, 10 lines of text; Arabic in black muhaqqaq script; illuminated headings in thuluth script; illuminated rosette verse markers, marginal roundel medallion contain the word "sajda", vocalized in black, letters for recitation in black highlighted with red above the lines; one of a group of 5 folios.
Border: The text is set in gold, blue, and black rulings on cream-colored paper.

Label

This folio belongs to a Qur'an that was most likely commissioned by a high-ranking official of the Mamluk court in Egypt (1250-1517). The text is written in muhaqqaq, a script favoured in the fourteenth century for copying large Qur'ans. Characterized by slender verticals and powerful horizontals, muhaqqaq means "strongly expressed or realized." In contrast, the chapter headings, set in illuminated rectangles, are in thuluth, a script reserved for manuscript headings and inscriptions on buildings and portable objects. Illuminated rosettes mark the verse divisions.

Published References
  • Anna Contadini. The Kitab Manafi 'al Hayawan in the Escorial Library. no. 3. p. 48, no. 5.
Collection Area(s)
Arts of the Islamic World
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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