Two Bifolios from a Qur’an

Location: Middle East

Materials: ink, gold and opaque watercolour on vellum

Dimensions: 2 bifolios; 11 x 18.4cm

Accession Number: KFQ 82

Other Notes:

Text: surah al-Infitar (LXXXII), verse 8 to surah al-Mutaffifin (LXXXIII), verse 3; surah al-Inshiqaq (LXXXIV), verse 4 to surah al-Buruj (LXXXV), verse 5; and surah al-A‘la (LXXXVII), verse 4 to surah al-Ghashiyah (LXXXVIII), verse 1.

The surah titles and verse counts are written in gold outlined in black, with fine marginal vignettes. There are no diacritical marks and red dots indicate the vocalization. Three gold dots separate the verses, a gold pear-shaped ornament marks the end of every fifth verse and a gold circular device every tenth verse.

Script:

copied in Kufic script; 9 lines to the page

Bibliography:

F. Déroche, The Abbasid Tradition, Nasser D. Khalili Collection of Islamic Art, vol. I, London 1992, cat.44, p.97.
J.M. Rogers, The Arts of Islam. Masterpieces from the Khalili Collection, London 2010, cat.8, p.34.