Mihr-u Mushtari (The Sun and Jupiter) by Shams al-Din Muhammad Assar Tabrizi (d. circa 1390)

Object Details

• Calligrapher

  Mir Ali Haravi (died ca. 1550)

• Description

  Manuscript; Mihr u Mushtari by Shams al-Din Muhammad Assar Tabrizi; text: Persian in black nasta'liq script; headings in gold, white and blue; 186 folios with a sarlawh (folio 1 verso), 5 paintings (25recto, 48verso, 84recto, 112recto, 141recto); seals (fols. 1 and 186 rectos); one of a group of three: manuscripts (S 1986.62, S 1986.39) and folio (S 1986.164); standard page: 2 columns, 14 lines of text.

  Binding: The manuscript is bound in olive leather over paper pasteboards, the exterior covers are decorated with gold block- stamped medallions and cornerpieces. The envelope flap has a border identical to that on the upper and lower covers, and the tip of the envelope flap contains a horizontal medallion outlined in gold.

• Inscriptions

  Seals: fol.186recto (oval, in kufic) [illegible]

• Provenance

  ?- ?

  Octave Marie Joseph Kérim Homberg Sr. (1844-1907), method of acquisition unknown [1]

  By 1903-1942

  Henri Vever (1854-1942), likely acquired directly from Homberg Sr.[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] Vever's notation on folio 1a reads "ancienne collection Homberg père," suggesting that he likely acquired directly from Octave Marie Joseph Kérim Homberg Sr. Octave Homberg Senior was a Censor of the Bank of France before becoming the Director of the Société Générale, one of the oldest banks in France. He amassed a diverse collection of fine arts.

  [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.

  It is unclear when Vever acquired this manuscript, but it was in his collection by 1903 when it was exhibited. See M. Gaston Migeon, M. Max van Berchem and M. Huart, "Exposition des Arts Musulmans, Catalogue Descriptif" [exhibition catalogue] (Paris : Société française d'Imprimerie et de Librairie, Avril 1903), no. 817. The manuscript was in Vever's collection at the time of his death.

  [3] Upon Henri Vever's death on September 25, 1942, his wife, Jeanne Louise Monthiers inherited the object. 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 object is part of that collection. See exhibits F and G as cited in note 3.

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

  Research completed June 26, 2022.

• Collection

  Arthur M. Sackler Collection

• Exhibition History

  Paintings from Shiraz (December 24, 1994 to August 27, 1995)

  The Art of Painting a Story: Narrative Images from Iran (December 22, 1991 to May 10, 1992)

  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)

  Octave Marie Joseph Kérim Homberg Sr. (1844-1907)

• Origin

  probably Herat, Historic Iran, present-day Afghanistan

• Credit Line

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

• Type

  Manuscript

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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  collections.si.edu

• Date

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• Name

  Mautin, Francois Albert, Homberg, Octave Marie Joseph Kérim, Monthiers, Jeanne Louise, Vever, Henri

• Place

  Herat

• Topic

  S?afavid dynasty, 1501-1736, Mushtari, Art, Mihr, Henri Vever collection, Arts of the Islamic World

• Culture

  Muslims, Iranians

• Language

  Nasta?li-q script

• Object Type

  Manuscripts