Poems (tarji'band)

Walters manuscript W.651 is an illuminated and illustrated manuscript of a small collection of short love poems of the type called tarji`band by Nur al-Din "Abd al-Rahman Jami (died 898 AH/AD 1492). It was copied in black Nasta"liq script by the calligrapher Muhammad Zaman al-Tabrizi in 998 AH/AD 1589-1590 in Safavid Iran. The text is written on orange-tinted paper, and the bluish-green borders are illuminated throughout. The manuscript opens with an incipit page with illuminated headpiece (fol. 1b), and there are 2 illustrations (fols. 3a and 6a). The Qajar lacquer binding is decorated with floral motifs and is inscribed with verses attributed to Imam "Ali ibn Abi Talib. An ownership statement is present, written by Husayn Qavam Daftar (?) and dated 1311 AH/AD 1893-1894, stating that this precious book was bought for his son, Mahmud Askani, from a woman for 10 ashrafis (gold dinars) (fol. 6b).

Provenance

Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object.

Mahmud Askani, 1893-1894, by purchase [ownership statement on fol. 6b written by Husayn Qavam Daftar (?) and dated 1311 AH/AD 1893-1894 stating that this precious book was bought for his son Mahmud Askani from a woman for 10 ashrafis (gold dinars)]; Henry Walters, Baltimore [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.