Qur'an bifolio

細節
Qur'an bifolio
attributed to Arghun al-Kamili
illumination attributed to Muhammad b. Sayf al-Din al-Naqqash
Baghdad, circa 1330

comprising sura xxviii, al-Qisas, vv.64-78 and sura xxix, al-Ankabut, part vv.17-30, manuscript on polished buff paper, 2ff., each with 13ll. of black flowing rayhani, gold and black rosettes between verses, every fifth verse marked by a gold, blue and white drop-shaped rosette outlined in black, a similar round medallion marking every tenth verse, (negligible water-marking not affecting text, slight creasing to corners)
folio 14¾ x 11in. (37.5 x 27.5cm.)

拍品專文

Arghun al-Kamili was one of the famous 'group of six' pupils of Yaqut al-Musta'simi. Probably Turkish, though brought up in Persia, he became an expert calligrapher renowned in particular for his mastery of rayhani script.
Four Qur'ans are known which are signed by Arghun. The Qur'an fragment from which this bifolio comes has almost identical features to these (no.1498, Chester Beatty Library, Dublin) and is thus generally attributed to him and to the illuminator, Sayf al-Din Naqqash. The calligraphy is powerful and fluent, in the style of Yaqut, and maintains a high intensity of black throughout. The illumination is precise and of high quality, employing the combination of light and dark blues characteristic of Sayf al-Din.

The Unity of Islamic Art, exhibition catalogue, Riyadh 1985, pp.36-37
Soudavar, A.: Art of the Persian Courts, New York 1992, pp.40-41
James, D.: Qur'ans of the Mamluks, London 1988, pp.156-167