Qur'an

Fluid letters undulate across the page punctuated by illuminated medallions. They focus the reader’s eyes on the sacred words in this elaborately decorated copy of the Qur’an—the Muslim sacred text communicated by God (Allah) and dictated by the angel Gabriel to the prophet Muhammad. Inscriptions in the margins document readers’ interpretations of the text.

The presence of the seal of the Ottoman sultan Bāyezīd II (r. 1481–1512) on various pages indicates that this lavish copy of the Qur’an was sent from India to Istanbul, sometime between the late 15th and early 16th century, perhaps as a diplomatic gift. At the time, Indian Muslims participated in a network of commercial, diplomatic, and artistic exchanges that extended throughout Asia Europe, and Africa.

This large-format, illuminated Timurid copy of the Qur'an is believed to have been produced in northern India in the 9th century AH/15th century CE. The manuscript opens with a series of illuminated frontispieces. The main text is written in a large, vocalized polychrome mu'aqqaq script. Marginal explanations of the readings of particular words and phrases are in thuluth and naskhi scripts, and there is interlinear Persian translation in red naskhi script. The fore-edge flap of the gold-tooled, brown leather binding is inscribed with verses 77 through 80 from Chapter 56 (Surat al-waqi'ah). The seal of Sultan Bayezid II (AH 886-917 AH/1481-1512 CE) appears on fol. 8a. There is an erased bequest (waqf) statement and stamp of Sultan 'Uthman Khan (AH 432-6/1027-31 CE) on fol. 3a.

Provenance

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

Sultan 'Uthman Khan [1]; Sultan Bayezid II [2]; Dikran Kelekian, New York and Paris; purchased by Henry Walters, Baltimore; by bequest to Walters Art Museum, 1931.

[1] Erased bequest (waqf) statement and stamp on fol. 3a
[2] Seal on fol. 8a