Folio from a Qur'an, sura 1:1-5; sura 17:88

Object Details

• Description

  Detached folio from a dispersed copy of the Qur'an; right-hand half of a double-page frontispiece; separate from the facing folio S1986.84.2; recto: shamsa, Sura al-Isra (the Night journey)17: part of 88, recto begins with "al-qur'an"; verso: Sura al-Fatiha (the Opener)1:1-5, verso begins with "bismillah"; Arabic in white and gold thuluth and muhaqqaq script; vocalized in white and gold; one column; 4 lines of text; one of a group of two folios.

  Border: The text is set in an illuminated border.

• Inscriptions

  Inscriptions: (Shamsa) Say: Verily, though mankind and the jinn should assemble to produce the like of this Koran, they could not produce the like thereof though they were helpers one of another; [Sura Isra: 88].

• Provenance

  ?-1942

  Henri Vever (1851-1942), method of acquisition unknown [1]

  1942-1947

  Jeanne Louise Monthiers (1861-1947), bequest of Henri Vever [2]

  1947-1986

  Francois Mautin (1907-2003), bequest of Jeanne Louise Monthiers and Henri Vever [3]

  From 1986

  The National Museum of Asian Art, by purchased from Francois Mautin [4]

  Notes:

  [1] An accomplished French jeweler and collector, Henri Vever 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 object was in Vever's collection at the time of his death in 1942.

  [2] 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.

  [3] 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.

  [4] The Museum purchased the entirety of the collection from Francois Mautin on January 9, 1986. See purchase agreement, copy in object file. This work is part of the Museum’s Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Collection.

  Research updated on June 27, 2024

• Collection

  Arthur M. Sackler Collection

• Exhibition History

  The Divine Word of Islam (July 4, 1993 to January 2, 1994)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Henri Vever (1854-1942)

  Francois Mautin (1907-2003)

• Origin

  Iran

• 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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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1570s, 1550s

• Name

  Mautin, Francois Albert, Vever, Henri

• Topic

  Art, Henri Vever collection, Arts of the Islamic World, Sura 1, Sura 17, Qur'an

• Culture

  Muslims, Iranians

• Object Type

  Manuscripts