Anthology

Manuscript; Anthology, assembled text in three sections, a collection of lyrical poems by Qasim Anvar, Amir Khusraw Dehlavi, Asafi, Ahli, Hilali, Shahidi, and Humayun; Persian in black and white nasta’liq script; 28 folios with 3 sarlawh (fols. 1 verso, 9 verso, 23 verso) and 2 colophons (fols. 8 verso, 28 recto), colophons contain the names of scribes: Shah Mahmud of Nishapur (folio 8 verso), Salim al-Katib (folio 28 recto) and a marbled folio with the name of Mir Imad al-Hasani (fol. 22 verso); inscriptions (fols. 9 recto, 22 verso, 28 verso); standard page; texts are surrounded by illuminations, triangular embellishments and rectangular panels in gold-sprinkled or marbled ground.
Binding: The manuscript is bound in leather over paper pasteboards with gold tooling, medallion, and corner-pieces on exterior covers. The doublures are of leather with gold filigree ornamentation on a blue ground.

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Maker(s)
Calligrapher: Shah Mahmud Nishapuri Salim al-Katib Imad al-Hasani
Historical period(s)
Safavid period, 1523-24 (930 A.H.) and ca. 1600
Medium
Ink, opaque watercolor and gold on paper
Dimensions
H x W: 26.1 x 16.3 cm (10 1/4 x 6 7/16 in)
Geography
Iran, probably Tabriz and Qazvin or Isfahan
Credit Line
Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Accession Number
F1937.35a-b
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Manuscript
Type

Manuscript

Keywords
anthology, illumination, Iran, nasta'liq script, Safavid period (1501 - 1722)
Provenance
Provenance research underway.
Description

Manuscript; Anthology, assembled text in three sections, a collection of lyrical poems by Qasim Anvar, Amir Khusraw Dehlavi, Asafi, Ahli, Hilali, Shahidi, and Humayun; Persian in black and white nasta'liq script; 28 folios with 3 sarlawh (fols. 1 verso, 9 verso, 23 verso) and 2 colophons (fols. 8 verso, 28 recto), colophons contain the names of scribes: Shah Mahmud of Nishapur (folio 8 verso), Salim al-Katib (folio 28 recto) and a marbled folio with the name of Mir Imad al-Hasani (fol. 22 verso); inscriptions (fols. 9 recto, 22 verso, 28 verso); standard page; texts are surrounded by illuminations, triangular embellishments and rectangular panels in gold-sprinkled or marbled ground.
Binding: The manuscript is bound in leather over paper pasteboards with gold tooling, medallion, and corner-pieces on exterior covers. The doublures are of leather with gold filigree ornamentation on a blue ground.

Inscription(s)

Folio 8 verso: "written by the hand of the humble sinner Shah Mahmud of Nishapur. May God pardon his sins and faults, in the year nine hundred and thirty [A.D. 1523]."

Folio 9 recto: "no muraqa' exists as valuable as this, among the masters of calligraphy, art and style of our time; (I) the poor and lowly collected it and documented it with great effort. God bless (the one) who tries to preserve it, until treacherous time."

Folio 22 verso: "thirteen pages from outstanding calligraphy of Mir Imad. May God have mercy upon him."
Folio 28 recto: "written by the poor and sinful slave Salim al-Katib.

Folio 28 verso: "six pages are written by Salim al-Katib in white."

Published References
  • Fu Shen, Glenn D. Lowry, Ann Yonemura, Thomas Lawton. From Concept to Context: Approaches to Asian and Islamic Calligraphy. Exh. cat. Washington. cat. 46, pp. 130-131.
Collection Area(s)
Arts of the Islamic World
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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