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Illuminations (23)
This is an illuminated copy of the collection of poems known as Mas̱navī-i maʿnavī by Jalāl al-Dīn Rūmī (d. 672 AH / 1273 CE), likely produced in Timurid Iran. The Mas̱navī-i maʿnavī, which is a didactic poetical work divided into six books or booklets (daftars), is of particular importance in the tradition of Sufism. According to the colophon, written in Arabic, this copy was completed in 865 AH / 1461 CE by Aḥmad ibn Ḥājjī Abī Bakr al-Kātib (fol. 311a). Each of the six books is introduced by a preface in Arabic or Persian, executed largely in gold tawqīʿ script (fols. 1b-2a, 51b-52a, 95b-96a, 155b-156a, 203b-204a, and 256b-257a). The text proper is written in black nastaʿlīq script, with illuminated titlepieces inscribed in a decorated New Abbasid (broken cursive) style (fols. 2b, 52b, 96b, 156b, 204b, and 257b). The dark red leather binding is not original to the manuscript and dates to the thirteenth century AH / nineteenth CE.
Polychrome text (black, gold, and blue) written mainly in black nastaʿlīq script but also in gold and blue tawqīʿ script on fols. 1b-2a, 51b-52a, 95b-96a, 155b-156a, 203b-204a, and 256b-257a; inscriptions in the upper panels of fols. 2b-3a, 52b, 96b, 156b, 204b, and 257b written in decorated New Abbasid (broken cursive) style
Principal cataloger: Gacek, Adam
Cataloger: Landau, Amy
Cataloger: Smith, Sita
Editor: Bockrath, Diane
Contributor: Barrera, Christina
Contributor: Emery, Doug
Contributor: Herbert, Lynley
Contributor: Noel, William
Contributor: Simpson, Shreve
Contributor: Tabritha, Ariel
Contributor: Toth, Michael B.
Contributor: Valle, Chiara
Conservator: Jewell, Stephanie
Conservator: Quandt, Abigail
Richard, Francis. Catalogue des manuscrits persans. (Paris: Bibliothèque nationale, 1989), nos. 265-7, 269.
Gacek, Adam. Persian Manuscripts in the Libraries of McGill University: Brief Union Catalogue. (Montreal: McGill University Libraries, 2005), no. 154.
Iran
[Dhū al-]Ḥijjah 865 AH / 1461 CE
book
Non-original Binding
Probably dates to the thirteenth century AH / nineteenth CE; dark red leather (with flap); gold-tooled frames and cornerpieces
The primary language in this manuscript is Persian. The secondary language of this manuscript is Arabic.
Walters Art Museum, 1931, by Henry Walters bequest
Iran
[Dhū al-]Ḥijjah 865 AH / 1461 CE
book
The primary language in this manuscript is Persian. The secondary language of this manuscript is Arabic.
Walters Art Museum, 1931, by Henry Walters bequest
This is an illuminated copy of the collection of poems known as Mas̱navī-i maʿnavī by Jalāl al-Dīn Rūmī (d. 672 AH / 1273 CE), likely produced in Timurid Iran. The Mas̱navī-i maʿnavī, which is a didactic poetical work divided into six books or booklets (daftars), is of particular importance in the tradition of Sufism. According to the colophon, written in Arabic, this copy was completed in 865 AH / 1461 CE by Aḥmad ibn Ḥājjī Abī Bakr al-Kātib (fol. 311a). Each of the six books is introduced by a preface in Arabic or Persian, executed largely in gold tawqīʿ script (fols. 1b-2a, 51b-52a, 95b-96a, 155b-156a, 203b-204a, and 256b-257a). The text proper is written in black nastaʿlīq script, with illuminated titlepieces inscribed in a decorated New Abbasid (broken cursive) style (fols. 2b, 52b, 96b, 156b, 204b, and 257b). The dark red leather binding is not original to the manuscript and dates to the thirteenth century AH / nineteenth CE.
Polychrome text (black, gold, and blue) written mainly in black nastaʿlīq script but also in gold and blue tawqīʿ script on fols. 1b-2a, 51b-52a, 95b-96a, 155b-156a, 203b-204a, and 256b-257a; inscriptions in the upper panels of fols. 2b-3a, 52b, 96b, 156b, 204b, and 257b written in decorated New Abbasid (broken cursive) style
Principal cataloger: Gacek, Adam
Cataloger: Landau, Amy
Cataloger: Smith, Sita
Editor: Bockrath, Diane
Contributor: Barrera, Christina
Contributor: Emery, Doug
Contributor: Herbert, Lynley
Contributor: Noel, William
Contributor: Simpson, Shreve
Contributor: Tabritha, Ariel
Contributor: Toth, Michael B.
Contributor: Valle, Chiara
Conservator: Jewell, Stephanie
Conservator: Quandt, Abigail
Richard, Francis. Catalogue des manuscrits persans. (Paris: Bibliothèque nationale, 1989), nos. 265-7, 269.
Gacek, Adam. Persian Manuscripts in the Libraries of McGill University: Brief Union Catalogue. (Montreal: McGill University Libraries, 2005), no. 154.
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