Folio from a Qur’an, sura 5:13-15

Detached folio from a dispersed copy of the Qur’an; recto: Sura al-Ma’ida (the Table spread) 5: part of 13 and 14, recto begins with “tattali’u”; verso: sura 5:14 and part of 15, verso begins with “faghrayna”; Arabic in brown maghribi script ; gold-knot verse markers; gold tear-drop leaf ornament verse marker; vocalized in green and yellow, diacritics in brown, tashdid and sukun in blue; one column; 7 lines of text; one of a group of 2 folios.

Historical period(s)
13th century
Medium
Ink, color, and gold on parchment
Dimensions
H x W: 16.6 x 15.6 cm (6 9/16 x 6 1/8 in)
Geography
Southern Spain or North Africa
Credit Line
Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Accession Number
F1929.68
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Manuscript
Type

Manuscript folio

Keywords
Islam, maghribi script, North Africa, Qur'an, Spain, sura 5
Provenance

To 1929
Kirkor Minassian, New York to 1929 [1]

From 1929
Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from Kirkor Minassian, New York in 1929 [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-Ma'ida (the Table spread) 5: part of 13 and 14, recto begins with "tattali'u"; verso: sura 5:14 and part of 15, verso begins with "faghrayna"; Arabic in brown maghribi script ; gold-knot verse markers; gold tear-drop leaf ornament verse marker; vocalized in green and yellow, diacritics in brown, tashdid and sukun in blue; one column; 7 lines of text; one of a group of 2 folios.

Label

By the thirteenth century, different regions throughout the Islamic world had developed their own scripts. In north Africa and Islamic Spain, the so-called maghribi, or Western style, became predominant and changed little over the centuries. The small rectangular folio is typical of this script with its open curves and full, rounded forms. Like all Islamic scripts, maghribi is written with a reed pen. The gold lozenge indicates the end of a verse, and the colored circles above and below the letters are diacritical marks.


The fifth chapter of the Qur'an, al-Ma'ida (Tablespread), is believed to be the last revelation received by the Prophet and reminds Muslims of their religious duties and responsibilities.

Published References
  • Dr. Esin Atil. Art of the Arab World. Exh. cat. Washington, 1975. cat. 7, pp. 26-27.
  • Fu Shen, Glenn D. Lowry, Ann Yonemura, Thomas Lawton. From Concept to Context: Approaches to Asian and Islamic Calligraphy. Exh. cat. Washington. cat. 40, pp. 118-119.
Collection Area(s)
Arts of the Islamic World
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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