MAMLUK EGYPT OR SYRIA, 14TH CENTURY

The illuminated border surrounding the text panel on the opening bifolio of this Qur’an is very similar to the illustrations on a Qur’an juz’ in the Chester Beatty Library which Martin Lings catalogues as 14th century Mamluk (Inv.Ms1465; Martin Lings, The Quranic Art of Calligraphy and Illumination, London, 1976, no.40). The illuminated headings on the opening bifolio of our Qur’an are also similar to those found in the Chester Beatty juz’ in that the text in both is reserved against an almost identical ground of scrolling vine issuing cusped foliage.