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Lot Essay
The name of the author as given on the opening folio of this manuscript is Taqi al-Din Abu Bakr bin ‘Abdullah al-Badri (d. 1443) who composed a treatise entitled Ghurrat al-sabah fi wasf al-wujuh al-sibah; here entitled Qurar nur al-sabah fi wasf wuhuj al-sibah. A copy of the manuscript, dated AH 875/1470-71 AD is in the British Library (ADD 23445; see P. Stocks & C. Baker (editor), Subject-Guide to the Arabic Manuscripts in the British Library, London, 2001, p. 335, L.3). The final folio of our copyappears to give the name of the author as al-Taqi al-Alma'i and the title of the work simply as Majmu' (compilation). The final lines of the colophon stating that it was copied in Mecca are probably a later addition.
The author Taqi al-Din al-Badri is discussed in the Encyclopedia of Arabic Literature where he is noted alongside Al-Ghuzuli (d.1415), who 'celebrated the joys of life', but as a 'less reputable poet' who wrote about 'beautiful boys, hashish and the beauty of eyes' (Meisami and Starkey, 1998, vol.II, p.502).
Descriptions of youths, with an accent on homoerotic works, is a genre that finds its root in medieval literature with poets such as Abu Nuwas (d. 814). During the Mamluk period, this genre falls within the larger category of 'agreeable works of belles-lettres', 'anthologies of entertaining tales' and other 'prose erotica' that were typical of the time (Meisami and Starkey, 1998, p.502). Another Mamluk author who produced a collection of poetry on the beauty of boys is Muhammad al-Nawaji (fl. 15th century). Other treatises such as The Perfumed Garden (al-Rawd al-'atir fi nuzhat al-katir) of Muhammad bin Muhammad al-Nafzawi (fl. 15th/16th century) or the renowned Promenade of the Hearts (Ruju' al-shaykh ila sibah fi al-quwa 'ala al-bah) of Ahmad bin Yusuf al-Tifashi (1184-1253) were particularly popular until late in the Ottoman period. Numerous translations and adaptations were drawn from it, including a Turkish translation known as Tuhfat al-Muluk, a copy of which, dated 1779-1817, sold in Sotheby's, London, 25 April 2018, lot 105.
The author Taqi al-Din al-Badri is discussed in the Encyclopedia of Arabic Literature where he is noted alongside Al-Ghuzuli (d.1415), who 'celebrated the joys of life', but as a 'less reputable poet' who wrote about 'beautiful boys, hashish and the beauty of eyes' (Meisami and Starkey, 1998, vol.II, p.502).
Descriptions of youths, with an accent on homoerotic works, is a genre that finds its root in medieval literature with poets such as Abu Nuwas (d. 814). During the Mamluk period, this genre falls within the larger category of 'agreeable works of belles-lettres', 'anthologies of entertaining tales' and other 'prose erotica' that were typical of the time (Meisami and Starkey, 1998, p.502). Another Mamluk author who produced a collection of poetry on the beauty of boys is Muhammad al-Nawaji (fl. 15th century). Other treatises such as The Perfumed Garden (al-Rawd al-'atir fi nuzhat al-katir) of Muhammad bin Muhammad al-Nafzawi (fl. 15th/16th century) or the renowned Promenade of the Hearts (Ruju' al-shaykh ila sibah fi al-quwa 'ala al-bah) of Ahmad bin Yusuf al-Tifashi (1184-1253) were particularly popular until late in the Ottoman period. Numerous translations and adaptations were drawn from it, including a Turkish translation known as Tuhfat al-Muluk, a copy of which, dated 1779-1817, sold in Sotheby's, London, 25 April 2018, lot 105.