SAFAVID IRAN, FIRST HALF 17TH CENTURY

Details

SANA'I GHAZNAVI (D. CIRCA. 1131-41 AD): HADIQAT AL-HAQA'IQ
SAFAVID IRAN, FIRST HALF 17TH CENTURY
A mystical epic of Sufism, Persian manuscript on gold-sprinkled paper, 73ff. plus six flyleaves, 20ll. black nasta'liq arranged in four columns, double gold and black intercolumnar rules, headings in white nasta'liq on gold ground within gold and polychrome cartouches, text panel within gold and polychrome rules, the plain margins with copious commentary in black nasta'liq, some catchwords, opening bifolio with gold and polychrome illuminated headpiece surmounting 12ll. of black nasta'liq arranged in four columns, one previously illustrated folio, last page missing, opening flyleaves with later owner notes, velvet binding with red and silver foliate borders, red doublures with silver rules
Text panel 10 1/8 x 5 7/8in. (26 x 14.8cm.); folio 15 x 10in. (38.2 x 25.5cm.)

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Lot Essay

Sanai, a Persian poet from Ghazni, spent his life in the Ghaznavid Empire and produced an extensive collection of mystical poetry. His most notable contribution is The Walled Garden of Truth, also known as the Hadiqat al Haqiqa, the first Persian mystical epic of Sufism. In this work, dedicated to Bahram Shah, Sanai explores his beliefs on topics such as God, love, philosophy, and reason.

The extensive library stamps on this manuscript attest to its importance and high veneration throughout the centuries. Folio 1r of our manuscript bears inspection notes of a Safavid royal library (khazana-yi ‘amira), dated Sha’ban AH 1065/June-July 1655 AD and Rabi’ I AH 1107/October-November 1695 AD.

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