Library of Congress African and Middle Eastern Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA
Annotatsiya:
c. 1250-1350 A.D., A further sense of antiquity appears in the gold surah heading in Kufi at the top of the left folio. It harks back to earlier decorative ornaments and illumination present in Qur'ans of the 'Abbasid period (Déroche 1992). The paper is cream-colored, and the ink on the verso shows through to the recto. An effaced gold and blue ayah marker appears in the right margin of the fourth line of text on the right folio.
- Dimensions of Written Surface: 23.5 (w) x 13.7 (h) cm
- On paleographic grounds, this Qur'an fragment appears to date from the Ilkhanid period (ca. 1250-1350). It may have been produced in the imperial center of Tabriz in northwestern Iran. The clear Arabic muhaqqaq and Persian thuluth scripts are typical of the period, as are certain variants in the Persian orthography (e.g. the dhal (dh) appears in lieu of the dal (d). It is quite unlike later Safavid interlinear Qur'ans, whose Persian translations appear in red nasta'liq script in horizontal registers (see 1-85-154.67 and Bayani 1999: 138-9, cat. no. 45). Both the lack of differentiation between the color of the scripts and the absence of a frame in this fragment suggests that it dates from the formative years of Ilkhanid production of bilingual Arabic-Persian Qur'ans.
- The recto of this Qur'an fragment contains parts of the first three verses of the fourth chapter of the Qur'an entitled Surat al-Nisa' (Chapter of the Women). At the top left side of the folio appears the chapter title and the total number of its verses (176) in bold gold Kufi letters. The title is contained in a gold-painted rectangular band ornamented with a gold medallion outlined in blue projecting into the left margin. Immediately below the surah heading appears the first half of the first verse in large black muhaqqaq script, with diagonal word-by-word translations into Persian between each horizontal line of text. The right side of the folio contains the second half of the third verse of the same chapter, which, when folded vertically in two at the center with verses 1-3 included on its verso (1-84-154.27c V), yields the first four continuous pages of text of Surat al-Nisa'.
Library of Congress African and Middle Eastern Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA
Annotatsiya:
19th century, Qajar era Shi'i talismanic piece in Arabic about the battle of Karbalah in 61/680, written in Nasta'liq script on velum with Shi'i iconography in the Qajar style.
- At the top of the page appears a triple-bayed arcade in the center of which kneels Imam 'Ali, the Prophet Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, holding his double-edged sword Dhu al-Fiqar. At his side sit his young sons Hasan and Husayn. Above all three figures appear four cherubim throwing rays of light that transform into golden aureoles above their green turbans. In the upper right and left bays stands the figure of 'Abbas, the brother of Imam Husayn, who was martyred at the battle of Karbalah in 61/680. He is represented (in duplicate) as a standing old man with a white beard and white turban, who hides his hacked right arm in his left sleeve. As one of the important protagonists of the ahl al-bayt (household of the Prophet Muhammad) and revered martyrs of Karbalah, 'Abbas frequently is represented alongside 'Ali, Hasan, and Husayn in the arts of the Qajar period (see Fontana 1994 [cited below]: 51-52 and fig. 52).
- Dimensions of Written Surface: 65 (w) x 70 (h) cm
- For a further discussion of Shi'i iconography in the arts of the Qajar period, see: Maria Vittoria Fontana, "L'Iconografia dell'Ahl al-Bayt: Immagini di Arte Persiana dal XII al XX Secolo, Supplemento n. 78 agli Annali", vol. 5/1 (Naples: Istituto Universitario Orientale, 1994), pp. 47-55 and figs. 51-61.
- The piece is left unfinished, as evidenced by the empty double-bayed arcade at the bottom of the page, as well as a number of empty panels originally intended to hold inscriptions. A number of Qur'anic excerpts, such as Surat al-Kawthar (Qur'an 108), are included in panels shaped like diamonds, rectangles, and circles. Other prayers are included as well; these find refuge in God from Satan and proclaim the bismillah, alternatively written in red, gold, and blue ink. A number of roundels also contain the names of God, 'Ali, and Muhammad.
- This large-scale illuminated calligraphic piece in square format appears to have been executed in Iran during the 19th century. It includes a number of details typical of Shi'i popular and devotional materials produced during the later part of the Qajar period (1785-1925). In all likelihood, it functioned as a talismanic object for an Iranian Shi'i patron.
- Script: nasta'liq
Library of Congress African and Middle Eastern Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA
Annotatsiya:
14th-15th centuries, In the Thuluth script, typical of the Mamluk period (14th-15th centuries).
- As noted in the red rectangular registers located at the top and bottom of this inscribed panel, this folio introduces the 26th part (juz') of the Qur'an (Selim 1979, 161). The central space includes an inscription containing verses 77-79 of Chapter 56 entitled Surat al-Waqi'ah (The Inevitable). These verses typically open the Qur'an as included on a double page illuminated frontispiece (see 1-88-154.8a and 1-89-154.168 R), although they may appear in decorated pages used to separate the parts (ajza') of the Qur'an. The verses here read:
- Dimensions of Written Surface: Recto: 11.2 (w) x 16.8 (h) cm. Dimensions of Written Surface: Verso: 14 (w) x 21 (h) cm.
- Other extractive calligraphic techniques include procedures of paper cutting or découpage (Safwat 1996, 194), in which letter forms are cut out from a colored paper and pasted onto a differently-colored ground (see 1-87-154.152). In both procedures, the basic principle consists in letting the background paper create the internal structure of the letters themselves. This demanding and precise work shows the various ways in which calligraphers could show their mastery of calligraphy through extractive, rather than additive, methods.
- That this is indeed a Glorious Qur'an / In a Well-Guarded Book, / Which none shall touch but those who are clean.
- The fragment's verso (see 1-87-154.151 V) includes verses 1-3 of Chapter 46 of the Qur'an entitled Surat al-Ahqaf (The Winding Sand Tracts). The script of these pages is thuluth, a cursive script typical of the Mamluk period (14th-15th centuries) in Egypt. The background of spiral scrollwork used on this decorative page is also characteristic of Qur'ans of this period (Lings and Safadi 1976: 52-33, no. 73).
Library of Congress African and Middle Eastern Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA
Annotatsiya:
c. 1400-1525 AD, Interlinear Qur'an, Arabic with Persian interpretation.
- Most Qur'ans written in bihari script make us of strong orange or red and blue colors for illuminated motifs, as well as for the main body of the text. This particular fragment repeats lines of script in the following manner: one line of gold, two lines of black, one line of blue, two lines of black, one line of gold. Other bihari Qur'ans may simply alternate black and gold ink for the main text, prefering to keep blue (and red) ink for ornamental designs (Beit Al Qur'an 1996, 105). Also typical appears the picking out in gold of significant words such as "allah" or his various names and epithets (the so-called Asma' Allah al-Husna, or the Beautiful Names of God), which occurs here, most notably, in the first two lines after the sura heading on the left folio. Other bihari Qur'ans also highlight the name of God, sometimes prefering red over gold ink (James 1992b; 104, cat. nos. 27-8).
- The borders of the text include a commentary in Persian on a particular verse of the Qur'an. This commentary typically is written in black ink and laid out diagonally in the margin. On the rightmost margin of the verso appears a note cross-referenced with the number 1 to the sixth ayah (verse) of Surat al-Kahf. The commentary elaborates on the meaning of this verse (18:6), in which it is stated: "You would only perchance fret yourself to death, following them in grief if they do not believe in your message." This particular verse's ambiguity seems to have necessitated explanation. Typically, it is explained here that the Prophet Muhammad is met with opposition and persecution at the beginning of his preaching of the Islamic faith, but he must not worry as he will be successful in his mission (Qur'an: 708, fn 2331). In this particular fragment, only a commentary is given in the margin. Other bihari Qur'ans bear double margins, containing both a commentary and alternative readings of certain words appearing in the Qur'anic text (James 1992b: 103, cat. no. 27).
Library of Congress African and Middle Eastern Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA
Annotatsiya:
16th century (?), An Shi'i invocation (du'a) to 'Ali, in Arabic with Persian verses in the boarder, written in black Nasta'liq script and atttributed to the calligrapher's Ahmad al-Husayni?
- Although the original, main text panel executed in large nasta'liq script may have been executed during the Safavid period (16th century), the surrounding border and the calligrapher's signature may have been added later (18th-19th centuries). Such procedures of alteration show how some calligraphies experienced a "second life" when combined into albums or passed down through the hands of another calligrapher.
- Call upon 'Ali who causes marvels to appear / You will find him to help (you) in adversity / All anguish and sorrow will vanish / Through your guardianship, oh 'Ali, oh 'Ali, oh 'Ali
- Dimensions of Written Surface: 21 (w) x 32 (h) cm
- In the lower right corner of this main text panel appears the calligrapher's signature: "written by (katabahu) the poor (al-mudhnib) Ahmad al-Husayni." The triangular area which contains the signature is rather suspicious: the paper does not match the main text panel and this section appears to have been cut out and pasted onto the fragment. It is possible that the otherwise unknown calligrapher Ahmad al-Husayni may have removed the original calligrapher's signature and replaced it with his own.
- Nad-i 'Aliyan mazhar al-'aja'ib / Tajiduhu 'awnayn laka fi al-nawa'ib / Kull hammun wa ghammun sayanjali / Bi-walayatika, ya 'Ali, ya 'Ali, ya 'Ali
Library of Congress African and Middle Eastern Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA
Annotatsiya:
9th century, Panel of Illumination, Qur'anic verses written of parchment during the 9th century in the Kufi script.
- But We saved him (Lot) and his family, / Except his wife: her We destined to be among those who lagged behind. (27:57)
- Dimensions of Panel: 14.5 (w) x 7.3 (h) cm. Dimensions of Written Surface: 14.5 (w) x 8.6 (h) cm
- On that fragment the text continues with verses 57-60. Together, these two folios form the beginning of the 20th part (juz') of the Qur'an, demarcated by a panel of illumination on the recto of this folio (1-84-154.37a R).
- Surat al-Naml describes the wonders of the spiritual world. The stories of a number of prophets, such as Moses, Solomon, Salih, and Lut (Lot), are offered in order to distinguish true from false worship, and highlight the miracles of God's grace and revelation. In the story of Lot, those who are lustful, including Lot's wife, will suffer God's punishment:
- This panel of illumination follows a standard type found in horizontal Qur'ans made of parchment during the 9th century (Déroche 1992: 130, cat. no. 73). The panel is divided into three registers along the horizontal. The outer register includes interlacing vines decorated with dots, the middle register consists of square and rectangular panels striated with gold lines, and the innermost panel is speckled with a field of diagonal lines composed of small gold and blue dots. A gold decorative finial projects into the left margin as a visual clue for the beginning of the juz'.
Bal'ami's Persian translation of al-Tabari's "Ta'rikh"
Bal'ami's Persian translation of al-Tabari's "Ta'rikh"
Library of Congress African and Middle Eastern Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA
Annotatsiya:
13th-14th centuries, Persian Naskh script, a page from Bal'ami's Persian translation of al-Tabari's "Ta'rikh" from the Il-Khanid period from Persia/Central Asia.
- Bal'ami's Persian version of Tabari's "Ta'rikh" has been translated into French by Hermann Zotenberg: see "Chronique de Abou Djafar Mohammed-ben-Djarir-ben-Yezid Tabari, traduite sur la version persane d'Abou-Ali Mohammed Bel`ami, d'après les manuscrits de Paris, de Gotha, de Londres et de Canterbury" (Paris: Imprimerie Impériale, 1867-1874).
- Because this fragment bears Bal'ami's introduction and thus marks the beginning of the manuscript, the text is framed on both sides by an illuminated border. The frames are decorated with gold flowers with blue spots on a pure gold background. On the top and bottom horizontal frames appear praises to God, Muhammad, and Muhammad's family and his companions, executed in white ink and framed by blue panels decorated with gold flowers. The main text is executed in black ink in an old Persian naskh (cursive) script typical of works produced during Ilkhanid rule (1256-1353) in Iran. At least one contemporary illustrated copy of al-Bal'ami's history made in Mosul circa 1300 AD is now held in the Freer Gallery in Washington D.C. (acc. no. F 1957.16, 1930.21 and 1947.19).
- Dimensions of Written Surface: Recto: 20.0 (h) x 17.7 (w) cm. Dimensions of Written Surface: Verso: 29 (h) x 21.3 (w) cm
Library of Congress African and Middle Eastern Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA
Annotatsiya:
19th century, A calligraphic panel about the martyrdom of Imam Husayn at Karbalah in 680 A.D., in Arabic and written in Thuluth script, produced in India during the 19th century.
- Although this fragment is not dated, it is possible that it was produced in a Shi'i milieu in India during the 19th century. However, it is rare to find the use of thuluth script at this time.
- Dimensions of Written Surface: 22.3 (w) x 14 (h) cm
- The gardens of Heaven (riyad) smiled with the announcement and welcomed the star who was killed by the sons of prostitutes (awlad al-baghayah). They announced that Husayn became a martyr (shahid) at Karbalah. There is for us a community whose nobility exceeds that of any other community in the world.
- The text is executed in a large black thuluth script and is fully vocalized. It is on a beige paper divided into three horizontal panels. Several frames in gold and pink decorated with blue flowers border the text panel. All frames are cut out from separated pieces of paper and pasted to a cardboard for strengthening.
- This calligraphic panel contains a saying about the martyrdom of Imam Husayn at Karbalah in 680 A.D. It reads:
- This text is clearly Shi'i as it recalls the murder of Imam Husayn at the hands of Yazid and his troops (here, cursed as "sons of prostitutes"). It also seems to promote Shi'i Islam beyond a particular community's borders.
- Script: thuluth
Library of Congress African and Middle Eastern Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA
Annotatsiya:
17th-18th centuries, New Year's (Nowruz) quatrain, or ruba'I in Persian, by the calligrapher Agha'I written in black Nasta'liq script from Iran or India.
- Dimensions of Written Surface: 9 (w) x 15.8 (h) cm
- For you, Pride of Government and Religion / May happiness be your aide and may fortune be beside you. / Congratulations to you on the festival of New Year's / May you always sit side by side [with happiness and fortune].
- The quatrain is written in black nasta'liq script on a piece of paper framed in blue and pasted to a brown paper strengthened with cardboard. The poem reads as follows:
- This calligraphic panel includes an iambic pentameter quatrain, or ruba'i, signed by the calligrapher Agha'i. He has signed his work: "written by the poor Agha'i," or "katabahu al-faqir Agha'I". Unfortunately, nothing is known about this calligrapher, and the approximate date of the piece (17th-18th centuries) must remain conjectural.
- This poem wishes a ruler everlasting happiness and good fortune on the occasion of New Year's. This New Year, or noruz, is most likely the Spring equinox (March 21st) marking the beginning of the solar calendar as celebrated in Iran and parts of India. It appears that this calligraphic panel was executed on such an occasion to celebrate the New Year and to wish a patron prosperity for the years to come. This practice of offering good wishes in written form during New Year's celebrations is attested to in a number of other calligraphic specimens in the Library of Congress (see 1-04-713.19.3, 1-04-713.19.49, and 1-84-154.51).
- Tura ay iftikhar-i dawlat u din / Sa'adat yarvar u dawlat qarin bad / Mubarak bar tu bada 'id-i noruz / Mudamat yar-i 'ishrat hamnashin bad
- Script: nasta'liq
Akhlāq-i Nāṣirī
اخلاق ناصرى
Ṭūsī, Naṣīr al-Dīn Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad, 1201-1274, author
Munro, Thomas, Sir, 1761-1827, former owner
Ṭūsī, Naṣīr al-Dīn Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad, 1201-1274, author
Munro, Thomas, Sir, 1761-1827, former owner
Turi:
Qo'lyozma
Davlati:
Amerika Qoʻshma Shtatlari
Inventor raqami:
2016404676
Hujjat yuklab olingan manba:
Library of Congress
Saqlanish joyi:
Library of Congress African and Middle Eastern Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA
Annotatsiya:
Ethical work by Nāṣir al-Dīn al-Ṭūsī., [18th century], Manuscript.
- Persian.
- Title from spine label.
- Name of scribe not indicated.
- Written in Iran.
- Paper; cream-color polished laid paper with no visible chain-lines or watermarks; body of main text is enclosed in blue and gold ruled borders; black ink with red chapter headings catchwords on rectos; original manuscript lacked a section at the beginning, from the title to 5 lines before the beginning of Faṣl-i duvvum; and at the end from fol. 194a to the end; these sections were supplied at a later date, probably in the early 19th century in a later hand on thick, cream-color unpolished paper with horizontal chain-lines and no visible watermarks; the beginning section has 19 lines to the page and the end section 17; black ink with rubrication and overlining; catchwords on rectos.
- Former owner's bookplate pasted inside front cover, "Thomas Munro, 46."
- Nastaʻliq; 17 lines in written area 14 x 5.5 cm.
Library of Congress African and Middle Eastern Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA
Annotatsiya:
17th-19th centuries, Qajar era Siyah Mashq Calligraphy based on Nasta'liq script 19th cent. Shekastah (Broken) Script.
- A number of other siyah mashq sheets are held in the Library of Congress. See in particular 1-84-154.44, 1-87-154.45, 1-84-154.46, 1-85-154.88, 1-87-154.142.
- A number of siyah mashq sheets executed at the turn of the 17th century by the great Iranian master of nasta'liq script, 'Imad al-Hasani (d. 1024/1615), were decorated in gold, preserved in albums (muraqqa'at), and provided with illumination by Muhammad Hadi ca. 1160-1172/1747-1759 (Akimushkin 1996: 65, 87, and 91). These sheets bear a striking resemblance to this fragment, especially in the interlacing gold flower and leaf motif used on the sheet's blue border (Akimushkin 1996: 70). It is possible that the Library of Congress' siyah mashq sheet was executed by 'Imad al-Hasani or one of his contemporaries or followers.
- As an established genre, practice sheets abided to certain rules of formal compositions, largely guided by rhythm and repetition (Safwat 1996, 32). Although siyah mashq sheets survive from ca. 1600, they seem to have been a particularly popular genre during the second half of the 19th century, i.e., during the artistic revival spearheaded by the Qajar ruler Nasir al-Din Shah, who reigned 1848-1896 (Mehdi Zadeh 1369/1950: 44-45 and 54-55; and Diba and Ekhtiar 1998: 239-41).
- Dimensions of Written Surface: 29.1 (h) x 16.6 (w) cm
- These sheets -- known as siyah mashq (lit. black practice) in Persian -- were entirely covered with writing as a means to practice calligraphy and conserve paper. In time, they became collectible items and thus were signed and dated (this fragment, however, does not appear signed or dated). Many fragments such as this one were provided with a variety of decorative borders and pasted to sheets ornamented with plants or flowers painted in gold. Even the calligraphic exercise itself appears on a background of painted clouds decorated with illuminated flowers.
- This calligraphic practice sheet includes a number of diagonal words and letters used in combinations facing upwards and downwards on the folio. The common Persian cursive script nasta'liq is favored here over the more "broken" shikastah script.
- Script: nasta'liq
Library of Congress African and Middle Eastern Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA
Annotatsiya:
18th century, A Persian literary compositions Insha', written by renowned Indian painter: Mir Kalan, in Lucknow, in the Indian Nasta'liq script.
- Recto: Dimensions of Written Surface: 10.2 (w) x 17.3 (h) cm. Verso: Dimensions of Written Surface: 11.3 (w) x 21 (h) cm
- The calligraphies are typically written a hasty nasta'liq on white paper, framed in blue, and pasted to a pink or salmon cardboard. They stand out for being in rather poor condition, in many cases badly damaged by worm holes and/or water stains. Some bear squiggle-like marks in the margins, while others include seal impressions that were cut out and pasted onto the cardboards. In most cases, an attribution to a calligrapher is written at the top, preceded by the expression "written by" (raqamahu) or "the handwriting of" (khatt-i...).
- The verso of this calligraphic fragment includes an attribution note at the top stating that it was executed by Mir Kalan. The main text is executed in black ink on a beige piece of paper. The letter begins with a bayt of poetry that states the lover should not push him away, as he has not committed any sins. Then follows the letter proper, which is overwrought by metaphors to show the writer's friendship, love, and pain at separation. He states: "I poured the salt (namak) of your friendship in my liver (jigar), and I planted the egg of your love in the field of my spirit." Truly, he warns, if he were to write just a fraction of his sadness in this letter, this piece of paper (safha-yi kaghaz) would burn to ashes. He concludes by stating that he cannot wait to see his friend in two or three days.
- This calligraphic fragment belongs to a series of twenty-two literary compositions or letters (insha') written by the calligraphers named Mir Kalan, Khan Zaman (son of Khan Khanan), Qa'im Khan, Lutfallah Khan, and Mahabat Khan (1-84-154.49, 1-84-154.53-54, 1-87-154.146a-f, and 1-88-154.30). Judging from the script (Indian nasta'liq), a seal impression bearing the date 1113/1701-2 (1-87-154.146a R), and a letter mentioning the city of Janpur in India, it appears that these writings were executed in India during the 18th century. Furthermore, if one were to identify the calligrapher Mir Kalan as the renowned painter active during the mid-18th century in Lucknow, then this identification would add further support to identifying this calligraphic series in the Library of Congress' collection as a corpus of materials produced by several writers active in 18th-century India.
Library of Congress African and Middle Eastern Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA
Annotatsiya:
Laws from the era of Reza Shah Pahlavi, Shah of Iran, ruled 1921-1944., After 26 and 28 Isfand 1308 [March 10 and 12, 1930], Manuscript.
- Persian.
- Scribe not identified.
- Gift of Cyrus Ebrahim Zadeh, Nov. 9, 2009.
- Written in Iran.
- Paper: lined commercial notebook paper.
- Folios 1b-13a in cursive Naskh; Folio 21b and following in Nastaʻliq; 15-16 lines in written area 14 x 7 cm.
- Folios 1b-13a; Folios 13b-21a blank; Folios 21b-119a; Folios 119b-122b blank; Folios 123a-292a; Folios 292b-294a blank; Folios 294b-297a.
- Library of Congress. Manuscript, M301.
- Binding: sewn with loos pages; cover lacking.
Library of Congress African and Middle Eastern Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA
Annotatsiya:
15th-16th centuries, Shirazi style Safavid Persian illuminated manuscript in Nasta'liq.
- At the very bottom of the text frame appears a barely legible square seal impression. Some of the decipherable words in the impression include hamid ("the praised"), 'azim ("the great"), and 'abduhu ("his servant").
- Dimensions of Written Surface: 9.4 (w) x 7.3 (h) cm
- Reader! For him who wrote this book, ask grace; / And let the scribe, too, in your prayers find place: / Next for yourself whatever you wish pray; / Lastly, a blessing for the owner say. / By aid of the All-Gracious King, / This work here to an end we bring.
- Sa'di notes that he composed his "Gulistan" to teach the rules of conduct in life both to kings and dervishes. It is evident that his work was a tool of instruction and commentary as witnessed by the extensive marginal glosses and explanatory notes explaining poetical expressions executed in red or black ink, cross-checked with a corresponding note within the original text. A few notes in red ink in the main text frame also develop some of the terms or expressions: for example, the first line praising God (Khudavand) bears a small note in red above specifying that God is Lord (Sahib) and King (Malik).
- The main text is executed in the Persian cursive script called nasta'liq. It is placed in three columns, two of which are written horizontally and the third diagonally. At the top and bottom of the third column bearing diagonal writing appear two corner pieces (thumb-pieces) decorated with a gold vine with an orange bud: this motif is intended to fill the triangular space left blank by the intersection of the diagonal and horizontal registers.
[Anthology of 3 Persian texts, primarily on the Mughal Empire.]
Muhammad Bahadur Shah II, King of Delhi, 1775-1862
Akbar, Emperor of Hindustan, 1542-1605
Abū al-Faz̤l ibn Mubārak, 1551-1602
[Anthology of 3 Persian texts, primarily on the Mughal Empire.]
Muhammad Bahadur Shah II, King of Delhi, 1775-1862
Akbar, Emperor of Hindustan, 1542-1605
Abū al-Faz̤l ibn Mubārak, 1551-1602
Turi:
Qo'lyozma
Davlati:
Amerika Qoʻshma Shtatlari
Inventor raqami:
2017454467
Hujjat yuklab olingan manba:
Library of Congress
Saqlanish joyi:
Library of Congress African and Middle Eastern Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA
Annotatsiya:
1841-1855., Manuscript.
- Persian.
- Title supplied by cataloger.
- Scribes not identified.
- Written in India.
- Paper; coarse, cream color laid paper with no visible chain lines or watermarks; black ink with rubrication on some texts; catchwords.
- Work contiains: [1]. A collection of letters and notes by Muhammad Bahadur Shah II, King of Delhi, 1775-1862 (dated 1855) -- [2]. Unidentified historical treatise (undated) -- [3]. One leaf numbered leaf 20 from an unidentified work -- [4]. Daftar-i avval from the Mukātabāt-i ʻAllāmī by Akbar, Emperor of Hindustan, 1542-1605 (dated 1257 [1841 or 1842]).
- Nastaʻliq; various lines in written areas of varying size.
- Fol. 1a-39a, 1a-117b, 1 leaf, fol. 1b-125a.
- Library of Congress. Persian manuscript, M96.
- [Other physical details, binding]
Library of Congress African and Middle Eastern Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA
Annotatsiya:
early 17th century, A Persian quatrain, or ruba'i, on spiritual transformation, written by calligrapher (Mir) 'Imad al-Hasani written in Nasta'liq script, from Safavid Persia.
- Below the quatrain, the calligrapher (Mir) 'Imad al-Hasani has signed his work with his name and a request for God's forgiveness. Mir 'Imad (d. 1615) was born in 1552, spent time in Herat and Qazvin, and finally settled in Isfahan (then capital of Safavid Persia), where, as a result of his implication in court intrigues, he was murdered in 1615. He was a master of nasta'liq script, whose works were admired and copied by his contemporaries, and later collected by the Mughals (Welch et al 1987: 32-36).
- Dimensions of Written Surface: 9.6 (w) x 17.5 (h) cm
- Many works in international collections are signed by him (inter alia, Safwat 1996, cat. nos. 53 and 62; and Lowry and Beach 1988: no. 456), although whether all these pieces are by his hand remains uncertain. Other calligraphies bearing his name in the collections of the Library of Congress include: 1-84-154.3, 1-84-154.43, 1-85-154.77, 1-87-154.160, 1-90-154.162, and 1-99-106.13 R.
- Ta hasil-i dardam sabab darman shud / Pastim bulandi shud u kufr iman shud / Jan u dil u tan hijab-i rah bud kunun / Tan dil shud u dil jan shud u jan janan shud
- The mystic describes his path towards God as veiled (hijab) because of his physical self. Only once he transforms himself into pure spirit can he be united with God, the "Spirit of Spirits" (jan janan). This motif of revelation and divine unity through spiritual metamorphosis is typical of mystical ('irfani) poets such as Rumi.
- This calligraphic fragment includes an iambic pentameter quatrain, or ruba'i, on the subject of spiritual transformation. At the top right, an invocation to God ("huwa al-'aziz," or "He is the Glorified") precedes the quatrain's verses, which read:
- When the close of my pain became the reason of my cure / My lowness changed into loftiness, and disbelief became faith / Spirit and heart and body were the obstacle to the path (toward God) / But now body became heart, heart became spirit, and spirit became the "Spirit of Spirits"
- Script: nasta'liq
Library of Congress African and Middle Eastern Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA
Annotatsiya:
16th-17th centuries, The Div Akvan throws Rustam into the sea, from Firdawsi's "Shahnamah" (The Book of Kings), written in the Nasta'liq script, illustrated manuscript page, from the Safavid era.
- Dimensions of painting: 19 (w) x 21 (h) cm. Dimensions of Written Surface: 13.9 (w) x 24.8 (h) cm
- The painting shows the precise moment when the Div Akvan pauses before deciding to hurl Rustam into the waters. The demon stands tall, his arms clutching to the ground on which a still sleeping Rustam lays, as his gold bell bangles clang loudly. A posteriori labels added to the right of Rustam's head and at the demon's waist identify the actors Rustam and Div Akvan. On the right side of the composition, rocky mountains and two threatening tigers are depicted, while, at the bottom of the painting, the sea appears inhabited by a variety of fish. Immediately above the painting, the chapter heading executed in gold ink identifies the scene and its corresponding text.
- The painting's style and composition are typical of illustrated manuscripts of Firdawsi's "Shahnamah" produced during the Safavid period in Iran. The rocky outcrop, loosely painted in light blue, pink, and yellow washes, sometimes creates formations that hint at facial features. The layout of the text and the script (nasta'liq) as visible on the painting's verso (see 1-88-154.118 V) also characterize 16th-century Persian manuscripts.
- This painting represents an episode described in Firdawsi's "Shahnamah" (The Book of Kings), the epic story of ancient kings and heroes of Persia composed by the renowned author during the first decades of the 11th century. The text on the fragments recto and verso describes the painting. King Khusraw summons Rustam to help him stop a demon (div) disguised as a wild ass that is ravaging of the royal herds. After three days of unsuccessful battle, the hero falls asleep in the grass. Thereupon, the Div Akvan casts aside his disguise, resumes his demonic form, rushes towards Rustam, and digs up the ground around the hero. He gives Rustam the choice of being thrown against the mountains, to be eaten by lions and onagers, or cast into the sea, where he would drown to his death. Knowing that the enemy would do the exact opposite and realizing that, if cast to the sea, he would have a chance to swim to survival, he asked to be thrown against the mountains. Rustam is cast to the sea, swims back to the shore, and returns to defeat the demon in combat.
- Unfortunately, the lower right corner of the painting has suffered damage and thus a small portion of the painting is lost to us today.
- Script: nasta'liq
Library of Congress African and Middle Eastern Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA
Annotatsiya:
A scholar's collection of bits of text, mostly in Persian with some Arabic, accompanied by extensive comments. [19th century], Manuscript.
- Persian and Arabic.
- Title supplied by cataloger.
- Scribe/owner not identified.
- Written in Central Asia or India.
- Paper; various types of paper ranging in quality from being light and polished to dark beige;. black ink; all pages including the margins are filled with notes and commentary; there arebits of blue paper inserted at the back which contain charts and numbers, some written in other scripts.
- Nastaʻliq?
- [Collation]
- Library of Congress. Persian manuscript, M154.
- Binding; brown leather covers are warped, cracked, water damaged, and terribly deteriorated; inside covers are covered with paper including bits of blue paper at the back with various charts and numbers and other scripts are written on them; appears to have been mended with beige cloth at the spine, and there are some twisted pieces of white cloth at the back
- Also available in digital form on the Library of Congress website.
Library of Congress African and Middle Eastern Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA
Annotatsiya:
Collection of poems by Ḥāfiẓ and poems based on lines of his poetry. [between 1800 and 1850], Manuscript.
- Persian.
- Title devised by cataloger.
- Name of scribe not indicated.
- Probably written in India.
- Label on container incorrectly identifies the work as "Gulistan Sa'adi".
- Manuscript is lacking pages at both beginning and end.
- Paper: thick, cream-color coarse laid paper with no visible chain-lines or watermarks; black ink with some marginal notes; catchwords on versos.
- Nastaʻliq; 13 lines in written area 16.5 x 7 cm.
- Fol. 1a-213b.
- Library of Congress. Persian manuscript, M78.
- Contemporary red leather binding with square geometric pattern in center and a similar pattern used as a border on both covers.
Library of Congress African and Middle Eastern Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA
Annotatsiya:
16th century, Bahram Gur hunting drawn from Nizami's "Haft Paykar" (The Seven Thrones), illustrated page written in Nasta'liq script and typical of 16th-century Persian compositions.
- Although the painting is typical of 16th-century Persian compositions, it was repaired and repainted at a later date. A large rectangular panel was added, and the painting was filled in missing areas. Some of the characters' faces also bear overpainting.
- Another painting drawn from Nizami's "Khamsah" is held in the collections of the Library of Congress, although it does not appear to come from the same manuscript. The painting represents the fainting of Laylah and Majnun, an episode described in the author's third book (see1-86-154.123 R).
- Dimensions of Painting: 24.5 (w) x 33 (h) cm. Dimensions of Written Surface: 32.5 (w) x 44.5 (h) cm
- The scene shows the ruler and his entourage on horseback as they shoot wild animals with arrows against a pink and green landscape. Behind a hillock appear four other men either looking at the scene below or observing the birds flying in the gold-painted sky. Both above and below the painting are included illuminated panels of the story's text, which continues on the fragment's verso (see 1-87-154.117 V). The illuminated panels with diagonal text and triangular corners (or "thumb pieces") in the upper right corner create a visual marker for the upcoming painting.
- This painting represents an episode drawn from Nizami's "Haft Paykar" (The Seven Thrones), the fourth book of his "Khamsah" (Quintet). The great Sasanian king Bahram Gur (r. 430-38), famous for his hunting powers and thus nicknamed "wild ass" (Bahram Gur), astonishes his companions with his quasi-divine prowess at hunting onagers. After his expedition and as a gesture of generosity, he orders 1,200 onagers (half to be branded and half to be earmarked with gold rings) to be distributed among his people.
- Script: nasta'liq
