An illuminated Qur’an section, Bust, Ghaznavid, circa 1110 AD

Private collection, Scotland, early 20^th century.
Previously in France and Italy, as per an accompanying note written in French and an Italian export stamp, both from the early 20th century.

This elaborately illuminated Qur’an section is a rare and important example of Ghaznavid manuscript production. It is possible to attribute it to the same workshop as an extremely similar section in the Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Paris (Arabe 6041, see Déroche 1985, no.522, p.121; Richard 1997, no.1, pp.37, no.1; Guesdon and Vernay-Nouri 2001, no.43, p.73). Indeed, so close are the script and illumination, both in overall scheme and detailed design, that it may have been produced by the same scribe and illuminator, who record their names in the Paris manuscript as Uthman ibn Muhammad and Ali ibn Abd al-Rahman respectively, naming the place of production as Bust in the year 505 AH (1111-12 AD). The present manuscript and the Paris volume cannot both be from the same multipartite set, as the present section consists of one part of a Qur’an divided into fifteen volumes, whereas the Paris section consists of one part of a Qur’an divided into seven volumes. Furthermore, the script and the proportions of the text areas are slightly different (although the present sizes of the two manuscripts are close), and there are subtle differences in the single verse dividers and in the design of some of the marginal devices. Based on the distinctive style of illumination and the name of the illuminator mentioned in the colophons, the Paris Bust manuscript of 1111-12 can be linked to two other important contemporary Ghaznavid Qur’ans, both written in New Style scripts, one made in 1091 for the Ghaznavid sultan Ibrahim ibn Mas‘ud (r.1059-98), the other copied in 1092 (Karame 2016, p.151, for wider discussion of this group of Qur’ans see Karame, pp.108-161). The present volume is thus an important addition to this small group of elaborately illuminated and artistically impressive Ghaznavid Qur’ans.

The illumination in the present volume is complex and distinctive, and worth describing in further detail. The opening page has a large elaborate central quatrefoil with lotus-petal border containing the words juz’ al-rabi‘ (“fourth section”) in gold Kufic script on a red ground decorated with lotus flowers and split palmettes. Folios 1b-2a contain the opening text written within illuminated rectangular frames each with an upper tripartite panel containing a central pointed oval device bearing the words al-juz’ // al-rabi‘ between two square panels decorated with a checkerboard design, and a lower panel with a bold scrolling lotus vine, and lateral border bands of cablework. Two stylised palmettes extend into the margin at the outer upper and lower corners of the frames. Single verse divisions are marked with small stylised florets illuminated with leaf gold. Fifth verse divisions are marked in the margins with illuminated devices of two forms: one consists of a roundel containing the word khamsa in gold, surmounted by a trefoil finial and resting on a horizontal bar; the other consists of a vertically-oriented stylised palmette containing the word khamsa written in gold. The tenth verse divisions are marked in the margins with a large illuminated roundel containing the word ‘ashr in gold. Further text divisions (juz’, hizb, etc.) are marked in the margins in illuminated square panels in which the relevant words are written in gold Kufic script outlined in white. Some of these panels have corner spandrels and central areas decorated with scrolling foliate motifs in gold on a red-gold ground, while others have stylised lotus flowers on grounds of cross-hatching or tight scrolls. The other text divisions marked include the fourteenth hizb (written as juz’), the eighth juz’, the second quarter, the sixteenth hizb (written as juz’), the ninth juz’, and the eigthteenth hizb. A notable feature is the inclusion of illuminated marginal panels indicating verses relevant to prayers. These consist of two square panels placed one above the other, the upper containing the word salat (prayer) in gold Kufic, and the lower containing the word for the relevant prayer, such as al-maghrib (opposite surah VI, v.50 and surah VII, v.31) and al-fajr (opposite surah VI, v.113, and VII, v.89), also in gold Kufic. The background areas within the panels are decorated with stylised lotus flowers on grounds of cross-hatching or tight scrolls. The heading for surah al-‘Araf (surah VII) is marked with a horizontal illuminated panel containing the surah title in gold Kufic, with a stylised palmette medallion extending into the margin.

The preserved stamped leather cover mounted as the upper doublure is of a style consistent with the date and origin of the manuscript, and may well be part of the original binding. A binding of very similar design on a Seljuk or Ghaznavid Qur’an section of circa 1100 is illustrated in Richard 1997, p.40.

The present manuscript was clearly in Europe in the early twentieth century, for a lengthy description of the manuscript (possibly a dealer’s note) written in ink in a French hand of the period accompanies the manuscript (as well as descriptive notes, it is fulsome in its praise of the “précieuse piece” and “manuscrit inestimable”). Interestingly, it references van Huart’s note on Ibn al-Bawwab on page 80 of his work Les calligraphes et les miniaturistes de l’Orient musulman, published in Paris in 1908, so the letter cannot pre-date that publication, but the handwriting is typical of the early years of the twentieth century. There is also an Italian export stamp reading 'Dogana di Firenze' on the final flyleaf, which may pre-date or post-date the French notes.

The handwritten French note reads as follows:

Une partie du Coran écrite entre le 6eme et 7eme siècle par un calligraphe de premier ordre de son temps, de l’école d’Ibn-Bawab ( voir Huart ,page 80).

De l’écriture de ce précieux objet, on juge facilement que l’écriture de neskhe n’avait pas encore subi le changement ou la réforme que lui a donné Yaghout Mostacemi.

C’est une très précieuse pièce qu’on ne peut trouver nulle part.

Les entêtes, etc, sont écrites en écriture coufique. Les médaillons, les entêtes de chaque chapitre ou chaque Djozu(1)ou chaque Hezb(2) sont faits d’une manière très remarquable.
Le commencement de chaque Sourat est aussi en caractère coufique, encore très répandu dans le temps.
C’est un manuscrit introuvable et inestimable.
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(1) Le Coran est composé de 30 Djozu( partie).
(2) chaque Djozu est composé de 4 Hezb.

Sotheby’s is indebted to Marcus Fraser for cataloguing this lot.