An illuminated miniature Qur'an, copied by Ibrahim ibn Muhammad, Near East, Provincial Ottoman, dated 965 AH/1557-58 AD

Formerly in the collection of a Middle Eastern Ambassador to the U.K., early 1970s

This unusual miniature Qur’an bears a sixteenth century date but the bright colours and fleshy drawing of the illumination stands in contrast to the palettes that dominated sixteenth century Qur’an production.

The Qur’an stands out for its unusual decorative scheme where the surah headings are in some places marked by gold titles, and in others demarcated by an illuminated roundel. The lobed edging around the illuminated roundel, interspersed with pointed petals recalls the illuminated shamsa found in an Ilkhanid Qur’an juz’ dated 1338 AD in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (acc. no.29.58); see also the illuminated marginal medallion on an Ilkhanid fourteenth century Qur’an leaf in the Khalili collection (inv. no.QUR 473, James 1992, pp.106-7, no.22). The loose style of the gold cursive in the surah headings outlined in black further evokes those on a miniature Qur’an copied in fourteenth century Iraq sold in these rooms, 25 October 2023, lot 18. The clear influence of the Ilkhanid predecessors on the present manuscript suggest that it was produced in a similar region in an archaistic style. This is supported by the paper of the manuscript which is consistent with a near Eastern origin, possibly Iraq or Syria.