comprising 12 leaves of continuous text from Surah al-Noor, part of verse 2 to part of verse 26.
Andalusia, likely Jativa, first half of the thirteenth century.
Important Andalusian Qur'an section. Important Qur'an section, containing a staggering twelve consecutive leaves, form one of the most iconic Qur'ans produced in Medieval Islamic Spain
This elegant and decorative manuscript is notable for the fluid and elegant style of calligraphy, which creates a striking contrast against the regular and precise application of vocalisation and diacritics. Furthermore, the use of pink paper is both luxurious and fine and represents a significant period in Islamic manuscript production in Spain from the Muslim communities in the region.
The attribution of these striking pink folios to Spain is based primarily on the use of paper. In the Maghreb regions of Islamic North Africa, parchment remained the preferred material for the writing of Qur'ans well into the eighteenth-century, whereas Spain had been producing paper of this quality for some time. It must be noted however, that despite this, the use of paper in medieval Islamic Spain was unusual and many Islamic manuscripts produced in Andalusia were copied on parchment. Manuscripts like this one, on pink dyed paper are believed to have been produced in Jativa, near Valencia, near the site of the earliest documented paper mill in Spain (for more on this see: Marcus Fraser and William Kwiatkowski, Ink and Gold: Islamic Calligraphy, Berlin-London, 2006, p.64). Furthermore, the inclusion of hamzas in the vocalisation of the manuscript further suggests manuscript production in Spain, as this a codicological feature associated with manuscripts of Andalusian origin.
Sections like the present example that include continuous text are exceptionally rare, typically only single leaves and bifolia are ever seen on the open market. Other examples from this remarkable Qur'an are housed in some notable institutional collection, including the David Collection (Copenhagen, two leaves, their Inv. no. 31a/1989), the MET (New York, one bifolium, their 2017.232), and the Aga Khan Museum (Toronto, single leaf, their AKM258) to name a few. The last auction appearance of multiple leaves from this Qur'an was over a decade ago in Christie's London where 10 folios (unbound, not apparently consecutive) were sold.
12 folios, illuminated manuscripts on pink paper, in Arabic, 12 folios of continuous text, c. 335 by 270 mm; single column, 5 lines large sepia maghribi text, vocalisation in gold, verses separated by illuminated roundels containing 'abjad letters in white and red, housed in a modern cloth portfolio album, clean and very attractive condition.
This elegant and decorative manuscript is notable for the fluid and elegant style of calligraphy, which creates a striking contrast against the regular and precise application of vocalisation and diacritics. Furthermore, the use of pink paper is both luxurious and fine and represents a significant period in Islamic manuscript production in Spain from the Muslim communities in the region.
The attribution of these striking pink folios to Spain is based primarily on the use of paper. In the Maghreb regions of Islamic North Africa, parchment remained the preferred material for the writing of Qur'ans well into the eighteenth-century, whereas Spain had been producing paper of this quality for some time. It must be noted however, that despite this, the use of paper in medieval Islamic Spain was unusual and many Islamic manuscripts produced in Andalusia were copied on parchment. Manuscripts like this one, on pink dyed paper are believed to have been produced in Jativa, near Valencia, near the site of the earliest documented paper mill in Spain (for more on this see: Marcus Fraser and William Kwiatkowski, Ink and Gold: Islamic Calligraphy, Berlin-London, 2006, p.64). Furthermore, the inclusion of hamzas in the vocalisation of the manuscript further suggests manuscript production in Spain, as this a codicological feature associated with manuscripts of Andalusian origin.
Sections like the present example that include continuous text are exceptionally rare, typically only single leaves and bifolia are ever seen on the open market. Other examples from this remarkable Qur'an are housed in some notable institutional collection, including the David Collection (Copenhagen, two leaves, their Inv. no. 31a/1989), the MET (New York, one bifolium, their 2017.232), and the Aga Khan Museum (Toronto, single leaf, their AKM258) to name a few. The last auction appearance of multiple leaves from this Qur'an was over a decade ago in Christie's London where 10 folios (unbound, not apparently consecutive) were sold.
12 folios, illuminated manuscripts on pink paper, in Arabic, 12 folios of continuous text, c. 335 by 270 mm; single column, 5 lines large sepia maghribi text, vocalisation in gold, verses separated by illuminated roundels containing 'abjad letters in white and red, housed in a modern cloth portfolio album, clean and very attractive condition.
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