Arts of the Islamic World & India
Arts of the Islamic World & India
An illuminated prayer book, copied by Mahmud al-Raci student of Mustafa Kutahi, Turkey, Ottoman, dated 1204 AH/1789-90 AD
Auction Closed
October 25, 04:59 PM GMT
Estimate
10,000 - 15,000 GBP
Lot Details
Description
Arabic manuscript on paper, 88 leaves, plus 1 fly-leaf, 11 lines to the page written in naskh in black ink, ruled in gold, red and black, verses separated by gold rosettes with blue and red dots, headings in white thuluth on gold and polychrome illuminated panels, further text divisions marked by marginal illuminated medallions, f.1b and f.2a with an illuminated headpiece and margins illuminated with gold flowers, 11 pages fully illuminated including hilyes with the names of Allah, the Prophet and his companions, in brown leather binding with flap, marbled paper doublures
text panel: 10.3 by 6.2cm.
leaf: 15 by 9.1cm.
Mahmud Raci Efendi studied calligraphy with the famous calligrapher Mustafa Kutahi (Derman 2011, p.254). He worked in the Ragib Pasha Library and taught several illustrious calligraphers, including Mehmed Hulusi Efendi, who was the uncle and teacher of the nineteenth-century scribe Mehmed Sevki Efendi (d.1887), who is credited with founding the 'Shevki school' of calligraphy. An Alif-Ba mufradat copied by the scribe was sold in these rooms, 1 May 2019, lot 23.
A prayer book by the same scribe is in the collection of the Sakip Sabanci Museum, Istanbul (inv. no.103-0293). The rich illumination is closely comparable to the present manuscript including a full page illustration of a manuscript with surah al-Fatiha.