SIGNED AHMAD AL-NAYRIZI (FL.1682-1722), DATED JUMADA II AH 1129/MAY-JUNE 1717 AD

Details

QUR'AN
SIGNED AHMAD AL-NAYRIZI (FL.1682-1722), DATED JUMADA II AH 1129/MAY-JUNE 1717 AD
Arabic manuscript on paper, 276ff. plus two fly-leaves, each folio with 12ll. black naskh reserved against gold clouds, gold and polychrome rosette verse markers, red Persian interlinear translations, within gold and black rules, catchwords, the margins with copious annotations in black nasta'liq in clouds reserved against gold, gold and polychrome medallions to mark divisions, sura headings in red on gold within gold and polychrome illuminated panels, catchwords, opening two bifolios with gold and polychrome floral illumination opposite a calligram in the form of a cypress tree, opening bifolio of the text with fine gold and polychrome illumination enclosing 5ll. black naskh, the headings above and below in white naskh within gold cartouches, colophon signed and dated, following bifolio with gold and polychrome floral illumination enclosing two large gold medallions, each medallion with 7ll., red and white naskh, smaller medallions containing white naskh above and below, in gold and polychrome floral arabesque lacquered binding, the red doublures with similar gold arabesques
Text panel 8 ½ x 5 ¼in. (21.8 x 13.2cm.); folio 11 ½ x 7 ¾in. (29.4 x 19.5cm.)

Provenance

Private collection, Paris, 1960s and thence by descent
From which acquired by the current owner

Conditions of sale

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Lot Essay

Ahmad al-Nayrizi (fl.1676-1740) was born in the town of Nayriz in Fars, from where undertook his calligraphic training primarily under the naskh master Aqa Ibrahim Qumi (fl.1659-1707). Later, in Isfahan, Nayrizi and came to the attention of Shah Sultan Husayn (r.1694-1722) who became an important patron and by whom Nayrizi was given the honorific surname Sultani. He has been credited with the codification and development of a distinctly Iranian naskh that became the standard hand for religious texts throughout the 19th century. He also signed a Qur’anic inscription in the Chihil Sutun palace in Isfahan, dated AH 1127⁄1715 AD. For more information on Nayrizi and his hand, see the following lot.

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