Folio from Kitab fi ma'arifat al-hiyal al-handisaya (The book of knowledge of ingenious mechanical devices) Automata by al-Jazari (died 1206); recto: text; verso: text and illustration: The water clock of the drummers
![Detail of a pattern](https://asia.si.edu/wp-content/themes/custom/nmaa/nmaa-frontend/public/images/hero-bkgrnd-desktop.jpg)
Terms of Use
Usage Conditions ApplyAt A Glance
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Period
1315 (715 A.H.) -
Geography
Probably Syria -
Material
Ink, opaque watercolor and gold on paper -
Dimension
H x W: 30.8 x 21.5 cm (12 1/8 x 8 7/16 in) -
Accession Number
F1942.10 -
EDAN ID
edanmdm:fsg_F1942.10
Object Details
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Calligrapher
Farruq ibn Abd al-Latif -
Description
Detached folio from a dispersed copy of the Kitab fi ma'arifat al-hiyal al-handisaya (The book of knowledge of ingenious mechanical devices), "Automata," by al-Jazari; text: Arabic in black naskh script; recto: text, 20 lines; verso: illustration and text: The water clock of the drummers, 3 lines; one of a group of 8 folios. -
Provenance
To 1942Dikran G. Kelekian, Inc., New York to 1942 [1]From 1942Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from Dikran G. Kelekian, Inc. in 1942 [2]Notes:[1] See Freer Gallery or Art Purchase List after 1920, Collections Management Office.[2] See note 1. -
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art Collection -
Exhibition History
Arts of the Islamic World (May 3, 1998 to January 3, 2016)Art of the Mamluks (May 14, 1981 to May 25, 1982)Art of the Arab World (August 15, 1980 to May 13, 1981)Art of the Arab World (May 8, 1975 to August 20, 1977)Near Eastern Art—Paintings, Metalwork (August 18, 1967 to February 10, 1972)Near Eastern Art (January 1, 1963 to August 18, 1967)Centennial Exhibition, Galleries 6 and 7 (February 25, 1956 to April 10, 1962)Untitled Exhibition, Persian Manuscripts (May 5, 1933 to September 22, 1947) -
Previous custodian or owner
Dikran G. Kelekian, Inc. -
Origin
Probably Syria -
Credit Line
Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment -
Type
Manuscript -
Restrictions and Rights
Usage Conditions Apply
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