A Talismanic chart, coloured ink and gold on thin paper, with a magic square 100 x 100 giving 10,000 individual cells, divided by gold lines and a red line every fourth, each cell with a four-figure number written in red, orange, black or blue, the colours forming a concentric diamond pattern with a diamond in each corner, within bands of red and blue prayers and Qur'anic text divided by horizontal lines of further prayers and invocations and including some magic symbols in black on each side and red at the corners, gold margins with red and black rules, Qajar Persia, dated AH 1218/1803-4, mounted on thicker paper, backed on board (occasional small holes, some light surface wear, creasing) - 25¼ x 25½in. (64 x 65cm.)

Details

A Talismanic chart, coloured ink and gold on thin paper, with a magic square 100 x 100 giving 10,000 individual cells, divided by gold lines and a red line every fourth, each cell with a four-figure number written in red, orange, black or blue, the colours forming a concentric diamond pattern with a diamond in each corner, within bands of red and blue prayers and Qur'anic text divided by horizontal lines of further prayers and invocations and including some magic symbols in black on each side and red at the corners, gold margins with red and black rules, Qajar Persia, dated AH 1218/1803-4, mounted on thicker paper, backed on board (occasional small holes, some light surface wear, creasing) - 25¼ x 25½in. (64 x 65cm.)
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Lot Essay

No other examples of such large maqic squares are published at present but three charts with comparable squares (though physically larger and more complex) are discussed in the chapter on talismanic charts in the forthcoming catalogue Science, Magic and Tools, The Nasser D Khalili Collection of Islamic Art, Vol.XII by Emilie Savage-Smith. The present example is however of earlier date than those examples.
Magic squares of this size became popular in Persia in the 19th century. As can be seen from the creasing on the present example, they were folded to a manageable size and carried as amulets. It appears the present lot would have been approximately 2¼ x 6¾in. (5.5 x 17cm.) when folded.

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