A KUFIC QUR'AN FOLIO, POSSIBLY IKSHIDID OR EARLY FATIMID EGYPT, 10TH CENTURY

A KUFIC QUR'AN FOLIO
POSSIBLY IKSHIDID OR EARLY FATIMID EGYPT, 10TH CENTURY
Qur'an XXVII, sura al-naml, vv. 57-70 (part), Arabic manuscript on vellum, 16ll. of black kufic, diacritics in red, gold and polychrome medallion verse markers, overall good condition
Folio 6 x 8 ½in. (15.2 x 21.5cm.)

The following six lots showcase an elegant collection of calligraphic panels from the 10th to the 21st century and provide a varied range of visual references to the many forms of Arabic and Persian calligraphic scripts throughout the centuries. These examples originate from Iran, Iraq, Syria, India and Egypt and demonstrate the development of the masterly art of the pen at some of the most sophisticated art centres across the Islamic world. The texts are in Persian, Urdu and Arabic. The scripts used include kufic, and many variations of the Six Pens, which comprise naskh, thuluth, muhaqqaq, rayhani, tawqi‘, and riqa. The content consists of Qur’anic extracts, calligraphic exercises, letters and a number of Persian poetry excerpts. The calligraphers include highly celebrated masters such as Shah Mahmud Nishapuri, ‘Ali Reza and Vasal-i Shirazi.