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Khamsa (Quintet) by Nizami (d.1209)

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At A Glance

Period

1433-1434 (837 A.H.)
Geography

Shiraz, Fars, Probably Iran
Material

Ink, opaque watercolor and gold on paper
Dimension

H x W (overall): 23.5 x 15.8 cm (9 1/4 x 6 1/4 in)
Accession Number

S1986.33
EDAN ID

edanmdm:fsg_S1986.33

Object Details

Description

Manuscript; Khamsa (Quintet) by Nizami; text: Persian in black nasta'liq script; headings in red; 267 folios with two illuminated shamsa (fols.1 recto and 83recto), four sarlawhs (fols. 27 verso, 83 verso, 144 verso, and 195 verso), and 8 paintings (fols. 91 verso, 94recto,101recto, 104 verso, 115 verso, 122recto, 129 verso, 134recto); seal (folio1 recto); inscriptions (folio1 recto); standard page: 4 columns, 23 lines of text.

Binding: The manuscript is in a nineteenth-century lacquer-painted binding with floral designs. The doublures are in red lacquer with a single stemmed narcissus.
Inscriptions

Fol. 1 recto “entered into the library of the slave, the weak, the least servant of God the powerful, Ali b. Lutfullah b. Al-Sadiq al-Husayni. May God stand him in rectitude.

Seal: folio 1 recto, (oval) Muhammad al-Faydi [?]."

Affixed to exterior spine, circular sticker with "T. B." [underlined] and "Khamseh Nezami fin XIV ͤ " written in black ink

Affixed to exterior spine, small circular sticker, no text or annotation

Affixed to front flyleaf: upper right corner, sticker for the International Exhibition of Persian Art, London 1931 with "VV 7" written in black ink

Affixed front flyleaf: upper right of page, scalloped sticker with "Douanes Expositions Paris" stamped in green ink

Affixed to front flyleaf: right side near spine, two circle stickers stacked on top of each other, on top sticker "1" written in black ink

Front flyleaf: written in pencil, "H. Vever, no. 7 [circled], London, £ tbi, is"

Front flyleaf: written in pencil:

Khamseh, Nezami [underlined]

Complet

(Inscription sur la 1ère page)

_ Ce livre est entré en la possession --

d'Ali -- ben -- Loft -- el- Lah-ben-il

Sadiq el Hosseïnï en 837_

Le manuscrit est donc antérieur

à cette date --

(Fin XIV ͤ ou commencement du XV ͤ siècle)

2 rosaces

7 miniatures

2 têtes de chapitre

Date 837 hy 1434

Front flyleaf: written in pencil, "X0028" [underlined]

Front flyleaf: written in pencil in corner of page, "no. 256 Demotte" [underlined]

Front flyleaf: written in pencil in corner of page, "H.V. rt = ptsxx"

Front flyleaf: written in pencil in corner of page, "est D = tppxx"

Front flyleaf: written in pencil, "V. is = 1930"

Front flyleaf: written in pencil, 34 [encircled]

Back flyleaf: written in pencil, "no. 256"
Provenance

?-1913

Georges Demotte (1877-1923), method of acquisition unknown [1]

1913 -1942

Henri Vever (1854-1942), purchased from Georges Demotte [2]

1942-1947

Jeanne Louise Monthiers (1861-1947), bequest of Henri Vever [3]

1947-1986

Francois Mautin (1907-2003), bequest of Jeanne Louise Monthiers and Henri Vever [4]

From 1986

Arthur M. Sackler Gallery purchased from Francois Mautin [5]

Notes:

[1] See note 2. Georges Demotte was a collector and dealer of Islamic and medieval European art. He had galleries in Paris and New York City.

[2] An accomplished French jeweler and collector, Henri Vever (1854-1942) amassed a large and impressive collection of works of art during his lifetime. His holdings in Japanese prints and Islamic arts of the books, especially from Iran and India, were among the most important assembled in the early twentieth century. Vever purchased this manuscript from Demotte on July 23, 1913, identified as "no. 256,"see Henri Vever Account Ledger, FSA A1988.042.2, July 23, 1913, Henri Vever Papers. Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives. This manuscript was in Vever's collection at the time of his death in 1942.

[3] Upon Henri Vever's death on September 25, 1942, his wife, Jeanne Louise Monthiers inherited this work. See exhibits F and G of Agreement of Purchase and Sale of the Henri Vever Collection, January 9, 1986, copy in object file.

[4] Upon the death of Jeanne Louise Monthiers, as stipulated in the will of Henri Vever, the family's assets were divided evenly between his two grandchildren. His only grandson, Francois Mautin inherited the collection known as "The Henri Vever Collection of Oriental Art and Manuscripts Including Persian and Indian Art and Manuscripts." This work is part of that collection. See exhibits F and G as cited in note 2.

[5] The Arthur M. Sackler Gallery purchased the entirety of the collection from Francois Mautin on January 9, 1986. See purchase agreement, copy in object file.

Research completed June 23, 2022.
Collection

Arthur M. Sackler Collection
Exhibition History

East of Eden: Gardens in Asian Art (February 24 to May 13, 2007)

A Jeweler's Eye: Islamic Arts of the Book from the Vever Collection (November 20, 1988 to April 30, 1989)

International Exhibition of Persian Art (January 7 to March 7, 1931)
Previous custodian or owner

Francois Mautin (1907-2003)

Jeanne Louise Monthiers (1861-1947)

Henri Vever (1854-1942)

Georges Demotte (1877-1923)
Origin

Shiraz, Fars, Probably Iran
Credit Line

Purchase — Smithsonian Unrestricted Trust Funds, Smithsonian Collections Acquisition Program, and Dr. Arthur M. Sackler
Type

Manuscript
Restrictions and Rights

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