An illuminated Hilye on wood, signed by 'Abd al-Qadir al-Shukri, Turkey, 18th century

Arabic manuscript on paper, laid down on a wood panel of rectangular form with cusped finial, comprising a large bismillah in thuluth script surmounted by an illuminated polychrome floral headpiece, hilye text written in black in naskh and thuluth scripts within cloud bands against a gold ground punched with cintamani motifs or a blue floral ground, inner border of marbled paper, outer blue margins flecked with gold, reverse backed with marbled paper

The term hilye is used to describe a specific genre of Ottoman Turkish literature used to denote a physical description of the Prophet based on hadith accounts. For a similar hilye, see N.F. Safwat, The Art of the Pen, The Nasser D. Khalili Collection of Islamic Art, vol.V, London, 1996, cat. 29, dated 1200 AH/1785-6 AD. A further hilye on wood was sold in these rooms, 22 April 2015, lot 88.