Habib al-siyar (Beloved of virtues) by Muhammad Khwandamir (died ca. 1533-37)

Object Details

• Description

  Manuscript; Habib al-siyar (Beloved of virtues) by Khwandamir; Persian in black, red, and gold nasta'liq script, headings in white; 247 folios with 2 double-page illuminations ( fols. 1 verso-2 recto, and 149 verso-150 recto), 2 sarlawhs (1 verso and 149 verso), 3 paintings (15 recto, 35 recto, 203 recto), and 5 folios of gold landscape and animal motifs (1 recto, 15 verso, 35 verso, 149 recto, and 203 verso), and 2 seals (1 recto, 148 verso); standard page: 20 lines of text.

  Binding: The manuscript is bound in nineteenth-century red leather over paper pasteboards with inlaid medallions signed by Mulla Kabuli Munajjid and dated 1819-20 (1235 A.H.). The doublures are of gilt block-stamped over a blue colored paper ground.

• Inscriptions

  Book cover: The work of Mulla Kabuli Munajjid, the binder [A. H.] 1235 [A.D. 1819-20]; seals; (fol. 1recto, oval) Shahsavar [A.H.] 1267 [A.D. 1850-51]; (oval) The veil was uncovered from truth for Yusuf by God; [truth]. In this way Ahmad [Muhammad] was given to us by the creator.

  Affixed to exterior binding, along spine, small round sticker: "H 87 34" written in black ink

  First flyleaf, recto, upper left "Vente Homberg" written in pencil

  First flyleaf, recto upper left "Ancien 87 [underlined] 1931 ap.xxx"

  First flyleaf, recto upper left "34 [underlined] -- 1933 pr.sxx"

  Affixed to First flyleaf, recto,middle upper, small circle sticker: "168" written in black ink

  First flyleaf, recto, bottom right "58" circled and written in pencil

  First flyleaf verso, middle page "104 Habib-al Siar Miniature et Sarlow" written in pencil

  First fly leaf, verso, middle page "D £ LAI" and "£ VII" written in pencil

  First fly leaf, verso, middle page "1 Sarloh 3 peintures 5 dessins à l'encre d'or " written in pencil

  First fly leaf, verso, top of page "XVI Siècle"

  First fly leaf, verso, top of page "Ancien no. 87 Homberg 1ere vente = 20000"

  First fly leaf, verso, top of page "Nouveau no. 34 Homberg 2e Vente (1933) = pisxx" written in pencil

  First fly leaf, verso, top of page "H. Vever [underlined] apxxx pisxx" written in pencil

  Affixed to last flyleaf, verso near binding, rectangular card "Ancien no= 87 vente de Juin 1931" written in black ink "87" is stenciled

  Affixed to last flyleaf, verso, near binding, rectangular card "Homberg" written in pencil

  Affixed to last flyleaf, verso near binding, rectangular card "apxxx" written in pencil

  Affixed to verso of last flyleaf, near binding, rectangular card illegible, written in pencil -- "n" and other letters

  Affixed to verso of last flyleaf, near binding, rectangular card "nouveau no. 34 mars 33 Lisxx"

  Last flyleaf verso, top of page "Oct. Homberg" written in pencil

  Last flyleaf verso, top of page "ancien no. 87" written in pencil

  Last page verso, top of page, "no. 34" underlined twice in pencil

• Provenance

  Possibly to 1907

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

  Likely 1907-1931

  Octave Marie Joseph Kérim Homberg Jr. (1876-1941), possibly by inheritance from his father, Octave Marie Joseph Kérim Homberg Sr. [2]

  1931

  Sale, Paris, Galerie Georges Petit, "Catalogue des tableaux anciens : objets d'art et de haute curiosité européens et orientaux ... la collection de Octave Homberg," June 3, 2, & 5, 1931, lot 87 [3]

  1931-1933

  Unidentified collector, likely purchased at Galerie Georges Petite Auction [4]

  1933

  Sale, Paris, Hôtel Drouot, "Objets d'art de curiosité et d'ameublement, européens et orientaux, antiques, moyen-âge, Renaissance, XVIIIe siècle ... Provenant de la Collection d'un Amateur" March 15 and 16, 1933, lot 34 [5]

  1933-1942

  Henri Vever (1854-1942), likely purchased at the 1933 Hôtel Drouot sale[6]

  1942-1947

  Jeanne Louise Monthiers (1861-1947), bequest of Henri Vever [7]

  1947-1986

  Francois Mautin (1907-2003), bequest of Jeanne Louise Monthiers and Henri Vever [8]

  From 1986

  Arthur M. Sackler Gallery purchased from Francois Mautin [9]

  Notes:

  [1]Octave Homberg Senior was 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, which included medieval European sculpture, Islamic manuscripts, and

  objects . Upon his death, he bequeathed the majority of his collection to his son, Octave Homberg Jr. What he did not bequeath to Homberg Jr., was sold via auction at Galerie Georges Petit on May 11-16, 1908, in Paris, France.

  [2] Octave Homberg Jr. was a French diplomat, banker, writer, and collector. As one of France's foremost financiers, he served as the French financial agent in the United States and part of the Anglo-French Commission. In the early 1930s, Homberg fell into financial trouble and in 1931, he sold most of his art collection, the majority of which he had inherited from his father. It is

  possible that Homberg Senior bequeathed this manuscript to his son, Homberg Jr., see note 1.

  [3] Galerie Georges Petit, "Catalogue des tableaux anciens : objets d'art et de haute curiosité européens et orientaux ... la collection de Octave Homberg" [auction catalogue] (Paris, June 3-5, 1931), lot 87. See annotations from this auction on the recto of last folio.

  [4] See note 5.

  [5] Hôtel Drouot, "Objets d'art de curiosité et d'ameublement, européens et orientaux, antiques, moyen-âge, Renaissance, XVIIIe siècle ... Provenant de la Collection d'un Amateur" [auction catalogue] (Paris, March 15 and 16, 1933), lot 34. See annotation about this auction on the recto of the last folio of the manuscript.

  [6] 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. This work was in Vever's collection at the time of his death in 1942.

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

  [8] 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 "Th34e 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 7.

  [9] 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 11, 2022

• Collection

  Arthur M. Sackler Collection

• Exhibition History

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

• 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

  Qazvin, 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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• Name

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

• Place

  Qazvin

• Topic

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

• Culture

  Muslims, Iranians

• Language

  Nasta?li-q script

• Object Type

  Manuscripts