Live Auction 15505Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds Including Oriental Rugs and Carpets
JALAL AL-DIN RUMI (D. AH 672/1273-74 AD): MATHNAVI
Lot 157

JALAL AL-DIN RUMI (D. AH 672/1273-74 AD): MATHNAVI

SIGNED ‘ABD AL-RAHMAN, MUGHAL, KASHMIR, DATED AH 1000/1591-92 AD

Closed25 October 2018

Price Realised

GBP 4,750

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JALAL AL-DIN RUMI (D. AH 672/1273-74 AD): MATHNAVI
SIGNED ‘ABD AL-RAHMAN, MUGHAL, KASHMIR, DATED AH 1000/1591-92 AD
Mystical exposition of Islam through versified anecdotes, legends and parables, Persian manuscript on paper, 300ff., plus three flyleaves, each folio with 23ll. of flowing black nasta'liq arranged in four columns, catchwords, occasional sentences and headings in red, gold and polychrome illuminated opening headpiece, four further illuminated headpieces at the beginning of each chapter, green silk ribbon chapter separators, marginal annotations on some folios in smaller text, later owners’ notes on flyleaf, colophon signed and dated, in Ottoman gilt stamped morocco with central medallion and spandrels, brown morocco gilt painted doublures
Text panel 6 ½ x 3 3/8in. (16.3 x 8.5cm.); folio 8 ½ x 4 ¾in. (21.6 x 12cm.)

Specialist note

During Akbar's reign, kashmir was under direct Mughal rule. He visited the valley in 1589, two years before the completion of our manuscript. Although our manuscript's calligraphy reflects the Indian style of nasta’liq, the illuminated headpieces throughout echo the Central Asian traditions of illumination which were continued by many royal schools and migrating artists well in to the early 17th century. The heart shaped tri-lobed leaves along with the use of black, deep red and bright green as the three main colours besides gold, on a rich lapis lazuli ground is one of the telling features of such illuminations. For a similar example of illumination see Christie’s, London, 26 October 2017, lot 85.