Folio from a Qur’an, Sura 5:52-54

citation

Detached folio from a dispersed copy of the Qur’an; recto: Sura al-Ma’ida (the Table Spread) 5: part of verse 52, 53, recto begins with “ya’tia bi’l fathi”; verso: sura 5:53 and part of 54, verso begins with “bi Allahi”; Arabic in black “eastern kufic (New Style)” script; illuminated inscribed verse markers; vocalized in red, tashdid and sukun in blue, letters for recitation in brown; one column; 4 lines of text.
Border: The text area is filled with palmette scrolls and set within an illuminated frame that terminates at the top and bottom in a semi-medallion.

Historical period(s): 11th-12th century

Medium: Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper

Dimensions: H x W: 32.3 x 21.4 cm (12 11/16 x 8 7/16 in)

Geography: Afghanistan

Credit Line: Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

Accession Number: F1939.56

On View Location: Currently not on view

Classification(s): Manuscript

Type: Detached manuscript folio

Keywords: Afghanistan, eastern kufic script, Iran, Islam, Qur'an, sura 5, WWII-era provenance

Provenance: Provenance information is currently unavailable

Previous Owner(s): Heeramaneck Galleries

Description: Detached folio from a dispersed copy of the Qur'an; recto: Sura al-Ma'ida (the Table Spread) 5: part of verse 52, 53, recto begins with "ya'tia bi'l fathi"; verso: sura 5:53 and part of 54, verso begins with "bi Allahi"; Arabic in black "eastern kufic (New Style)" script; illuminated inscribed verse markers; vocalized in red, tashdid and sukun in blue, letters for recitation in brown; one column; 4 lines of text.
Border: The text area is filled with palmette scrolls and set within an illuminated frame that terminates at the top and bottom in a semi-medallion.

Label: By the eleventh century, a number of distinct kufic scripts had developed. In Iran, the letters became more refined, characterized by elongated vertical strokes with left-facing flourishes. In this folio, from a now-dispersed copy of the Qur'an, the vegetal scroll design, usually reserved for discrete areas of illumination, serves as a backdrop to the elegantly proportioned words. This is the only known Qur'an decorated in this unusual and elaborate manner.