[ANTHOLOGY OF POETRY]. HAFEZ SHIRAZI. SA'DI SHIRAZI.

Divan,

including the Divan of Hafez and the Bustan of Sa'di, signed by Muhammad Katib al-Sultani.

Stock Code

106383

Timurid Shiraz, 1425

£22,500

Hafez Shirazi (1315-1390 AD) is considered one of the greatest of the Persian Poets, whose immensely popular poetry continues to thrive in modern day Iran and far across the international sphere, with many translations of his texts available worldwide. This particular collection of his Divan is considered to be a compilation of all of Hafez' ghazals and although Hafez is believed to have been a popular poet in his lifetime, very few early manuscript copies of this text survive.

The colophon of this manuscript is signed by the scribe Muhammad Katib al-Sultani and although there appear to be no other manuscript records attributions scribe, their title 'sultani' strongly indicates that they were a working scribe in the Court of Ibrahim Sultan (Timurid Prince and Ruler of the Fars region 1415-1435). The stylistic attributions of this manuscript also strongly indicate manuscript production in the Shiraz region of Timurid Persia, the capital

Description

Single volume, comprising the Divan of Hafiz and the Bustan and Ghazzaliyaat of Sa'di (main body of the text of this manuscript is the Divan of Hafez and the Bustan of Sa'di, followed by his ghazaliyyat, fills the margins), illuminated manuscript on paper, in farsi, 179 leaves plus 3 endleaves (two leaves in main body of text in skilfully executed later manuscript facsimile), textually complete, 180 by 125 mm; double column with additional text extending outwardly in the marigns, 24 lines elegant black nasta'liq, often interspersed with triangular panels of floral illumination, fine illuminated head-piece opening the text in the Timurid style of illumination, columns ruled in gold and black, catch-words throughout, later inscriptions to endleaves, some minor paper repairs and a few scattered smudges to ink, overall very attractive condition; late eighteenth-century Ottoman burgundy morocco with flap, central medallions and corner pieces or tan stamped leather coloured in gold, ruled in gilt, some additional blind-stamped tooling details, edges painted, extremities a little rubbed.