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Lot Essay
Arghun ibn 'Abdallah al-Kamili was probably a freed slave like his famous master Yaqut al-Musta'simi and one of the sittah, the six renowned disciples of Yaqut. Al-Malik al-Kamil was the regnal name of two Ayyubid rulers from Anatolia in the second half of the 13th century, but it is not known with whom Arghun was associated. Around 1300 he was taken or went to Baghdad, where he lived at least until 1352 AD. Unfortunately, little more is known about him, but he was probably of Turkish origin given his name.
His association with Baghdad is indicated by an album page in the Topkapi Palace Library, Istanbul signed Arghun al-Baghdadi (MS.H.2130) and other signed works bear dates that show him to have been active from the turn of the 13th century until the year of his death. Other documented works are another album page in the Topkapi dated 700 and signed Arghun ibn 'Abdallah (MS.H.2156), a manuscript containing various suwar signed Arghun (MS.E.H.222), a single volume Qur'an in the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts signed Arghun al-Kamili and dated 741 (MS.452). His latest dated work is an album page dated 753/1352, also in the Topkapi.
All his Qur'ans were copied in exquisite rayhani, as here, including a magnificent copy which has been attributed to Arghun by David James of which part is in the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin (MS.1498).
Stanley, Tim: The Qur'an and Calligraphy, Quaritch, cat. 1213, pp. 27-30, item 25.
James, D.: Qur'ans of the Mamluks, London, 1988, pp.156-8.
His association with Baghdad is indicated by an album page in the Topkapi Palace Library, Istanbul signed Arghun al-Baghdadi (MS.H.2130) and other signed works bear dates that show him to have been active from the turn of the 13th century until the year of his death. Other documented works are another album page in the Topkapi dated 700 and signed Arghun ibn 'Abdallah (MS.H.2156), a manuscript containing various suwar signed Arghun (MS.E.H.222), a single volume Qur'an in the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts signed Arghun al-Kamili and dated 741 (MS.452). His latest dated work is an album page dated 753/1352, also in the Topkapi.
All his Qur'ans were copied in exquisite rayhani, as here, including a magnificent copy which has been attributed to Arghun by David James of which part is in the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin (MS.1498).
Stanley, Tim: The Qur'an and Calligraphy, Quaritch, cat. 1213, pp. 27-30, item 25.
James, D.: Qur'ans of the Mamluks, London, 1988, pp.156-8.