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.
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.
Collection:
Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Exhibition History:
Arts of the Islamic World (May 3, 1998 to January 3, 2016)
Islamic Art (May 9, 1993 to June 3, 1997)
From Concept to Context: Approaches to Asian and Islamic Calligraphy (July 28, 1986 to February 6, 1987)
Art of the Arab World (May 8, 1975 to August 20, 1977)
Near Eastern Art--Calligraphy (August 18, 1967 to February 10, 1972)
