Anthology

Object Details

• Calligrapher

  Shah Mahmud Nishapuri

  Salim al-Katib

  Imad al-Hasani

• Description

  Manuscript; Anthology, assembled text in three sections, a collection of lyrical poems by Qasim Anvar, Amir Khusraw Dehlavi, Asafi, Ahli, Hilali, Shahidi, and Humayun; Persian in black and white nasta'liq script; 28 folios with 3 sarlawh (fols. 1 verso, 9 verso, 23 verso) and 2 colophons (fols. 8 verso, 28 recto), colophons contain the names of scribes: Shah Mahmud of Nishapur (folio 8 verso), Salim al-Katib (folio 28 recto) and a marbled folio with the name of Mir Imad al-Hasani (fol. 22 verso); inscriptions (fols. 9 recto, 22 verso, 28 verso); standard page; texts are surrounded by illuminations, triangular embellishments and rectangular panels in gold-sprinkled or marbled ground.

  Binding: The manuscript is bound in leather over paper pasteboards with gold tooling, medallion, and corner-pieces on exterior covers. The doublures are of leather with gold filigree ornamentation on a blue ground.

• Inscriptions

  Folio 8 verso: "written by the hand of the humble sinner Shah Mahmud of Nishapur. May God pardon his sins and faults, in the year nine hundred and thirty [A.D. 1523]."

  Folio 9 recto: "no muraqa' exists as valuable as this, among the masters of calligraphy, art and style of our time; (I) the poor and lowly collected it and documented it with great effort. God bless (the one) who tries to preserve it, until treacherous time."

  Folio 22 verso: "thirteen pages from outstanding calligraphy of Mir Imad. May God have mercy upon him."

  Folio 28 recto: "written by the poor and sinful slave Salim al-Katib.

• Provenance

  ?-to at least 1937

  K. Minassian (1874-1944), method of acquisition unknown [1]

  From 1937

  The Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from K. Minassian, New York [2]

  Notes:

  [1] See April 13, 1937 Freer Gallery of Art letter acknowledging loan of objects from Kirkor Minassian for examination, including F1937.35a-b, in object file. See also June 1, 1937 and June 2, 1937 letters between J.E. Lodge and Kirkor Minassian, respectively, regarding this object and others left for examination, in object file. Kirkor Minassian was a collector and dealer in Islamic and Near Eastern antiquities, with galleries in New York and Paris.

  [2] See K. Minassian invoice to Freer Gallery of Art, June 4, 1937, and marked approved on June 1, 1937.

  Research updated January 27, 2023

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Arts of the Islamic World (May 3, 1998 to January 3, 2016)

  From Concept to Context: Approaches to Asian and Islamic Calligraphy (July 28, 1986 to February 6, 1987)

  Nastaliq Calligraphy (September 23, 1982 to January 20, 1984)

  Art of the Court of Shah Tahmasp (December 16, 1979 to August 14, 1980)

  Near Eastern Art—Paintings, Pottery (August 18, 1967 to February 10, 1972)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Kirkor Minassian (1874-1944)

• Origin

  probably Tabriz and Qazvin or Isfahan, Iran

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Manuscript

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1700s, 1710s, 1720s, 1500s, 1610s, 1600s, 1590s, 1540s, 1650s, 1530s, 1640s, 1520s, 1630s, 1510s, 1620s, 1580s, 1730s, 1690s, 1570s, 1680s, 1560s, 1670s, 1550s, 1660s

• Name

  Minassian, Kirkor

• Place

  Tabriz, Qazvin or Isfahan

• Topic

  S?afavid dynasty, 1501-1736, Art, Arts of the Islamic World, Anthology, Illumination, Marbling

• Culture

  Muslims, Iranians

• Language

  Nasta?li-q script

• Object Type

  Manuscripts