COLOPHON WITH THE NAME AHMAD AL-NAYRIZI, IRAN, DATED AH 1127/1715-16 AD

Ahmad al-Nayrizi (fl.1682-1722 ) was born in the town of Nayriz in Fars. His primary master in naskh was Muhammad Ibrahim bin Muhammad Nasir Qumi, known as Aqa Ibrahim Qumi (fl.1659-1707). In the late 17th century Nayrizi settled in Isfahan 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 produced work for royal patrons for almost two decades.

Combining strength with elegance, Nayrizi's hand is 'a confident one, characterized by exceptionally well-formed letters. Its most striking features are its relatively large size and the wide spacing of the lines of text' (Nabil Safwat, The Art of the Pen, The Nasser D. Collection of Islamic Art, London, 1996, p. 212). It is with Ahmad al-Nayrizi that we find the development of a distinctly Iranian naskh that went on to be used as the standard Qur'anic hand throughout the 19th century. A prayer book copied by Nayrizi is in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum in New York, (inv. 2003.239, illustrated in: Masterpieces from the Department of Islamic Art in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2011, no.191, pp.272-274).

For another work by this famous scribe, please see the preceding lot.