A Lavishly Illuminated Copy of al-Jazuli’s Dala’il al-Khayrat
MSS 276
Turkey, probably Istanbul
dated 1265 AH (1848–9 AD)
ink, gold and opaque watercolour on paper; contemporary leather binding with silver and gilt decoration and embossed doublures
copied in naskh script; 13 lines to the page
84 folios; 18.4 X 11.5cm
The lavish illumination of this copy of al-Jazuli’s pious text includes headpieces; tail-pieces; and irregularly-shaped medallions in the margins. In addition, a double spread (folios 16b–17a) bears depictions of the Holy Sanctuary at Mecca and the Prophet’s mosque at Medina.
S. Vernoit, Occidentalism. Islamic Art in the 19th Century, The Nasser D. Khalili Collection of Islamic Art, volume XXIII, London 1997, cat.15, p.36. J.M. Rogers, The Arts of Islam. Masterpieces from the Khalili Collection, London 2010, cat.288, p.253.