Kawakib al-durriya fi madh khayr al-bariyya (Celestial lights in praise of the best of creations) and Book of confessions

Two manuscripts bound together: Kawakib al-durriya fi madh khayr al-bariyya (Celestial lights in praise of the best of creations) known as Qasida al-burda (Mantle of the Prophet) and Book of confessions; Arabic in black, red, blue, and green muhaqqaq and naskh script; 41 folios, Qasida al-Burda: Arabic, fol. 1-28 with two illuminations(fols. 1recto and 28 recto), A book of confessions: Turkish, fols. 29-41 with one illumination (fol. 29recto); Inscriptions on fols 28recto and 29recto; standard page: 3 lines of muhaqqaq and 9 lines of naskh.
Binding: The two manuscripts have no covers.

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Historical period(s)
Mamluk period, ca. 1460
Medium
Opaque watercolor, ink and gold on paper
Dimensions
H x W (overall): 39.3 x 29.2 cm (15 1/2 x 11 1/2 in)
Geography
Egypt
Credit Line
Purchase — Smithsonian Unrestricted Trust Funds, Smithsonian Collections Acquisition Program, and Dr. Arthur M. Sackler
Collection
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
Accession Number
S1986.29
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Manuscript
Type

Manuscript

Keywords
Egypt, Henri Vever collection, illumination, Mamluk period (1250 - 1517), thuluth script, WWII-era provenance
Provenance

To 1912
Charles Vignier (1863-1934), Paris, France. [1]

From 1912 to 1942
Henri Vever (1854-1942), Paris and Noyers, France, purchased from Charles Vignier, Paris, France on September 12, 1912. [2]

From 1942 to 1986
Family member, Paris and Boulogne, France, by inheritance from Henri Vever, Paris and Noyers, France. [3]

From 1986
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, purchased from a family member, Paris and Boulogne, France. [4]

Notes:

[1] See Glen D. Lowry and Susan Nemazee, "Appendix 2: Ledger of Acquisitions, 1894 and 1907-17" in A Jeweler’s Eye: Islamic Arts of the Book from the Vever Collection (Washington, DC: Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; Seattle and London: University of Washington Press, 1988), p. 232. See also Susan Nemazee, "Appendix 7: Chart of Recent Provenance" in An Annotated and Illustrated Checklist of the Vever Collection, Glenn D. Lowry et al (Washington, DC: Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; Seattle and London: University of Washington Press, 1988), p. 399.

[2] See note 1.

[3] See the Agreement for the Purchase and Sale of the Henri Vever Collection of January 9, 1986, Collections Management Office.

[4] See note 3.

Previous Owner(s)

Henri Vever 1854-1942
Charles Vignier 1863-1934
Francois Mautin French, born 1907

Description

Two manuscripts bound together: Kawakib al-durriya fi madh khayr al-bariyya (Celestial lights in praise of the best of creations) known as Qasida al-burda (Mantle of the Prophet) and Book of confessions; Arabic in black, red, blue, and green muhaqqaq and naskh script; 41 folios, Qasida al-Burda: Arabic, fol. 1-28 with two illuminations(fols. 1recto and 28 recto), A book of confessions: Turkish, fols. 29-41 with one illumination (fol. 29recto); Inscriptions on fols 28recto and 29recto; standard page: 3 lines of muhaqqaq and 9 lines of naskh.
Binding: The two manuscripts have no covers.

Inscription(s)

Fol. 1recto: "For the treasury of Our master the Sultan al-Malik al-Ashraf Abi'l-Nasr Inal."
Fol. 28recto: "At the service of the Mamluk Esinbay b. Abdullah al-Malik al-Ashrafi."
Fol. 29recto: "Abi'l-Nasr Barsbay. May God protect his kingdom forever and make firm the foundations of his empire."

Published References
  • Georges Marteau, Henri Vever. Miniatures Persanes: tirees des collections de M.M. Henry d'Allemagne, Claude Anet, Henri Aubrey... 2 vols., Paris, June-October 1912. cat. 23, vol. 1: pl. XXIII.
  • The Hague. Catalogus tentoonstelling van islamische kunst. cat. 3, p. 21.
  • Glenn D. Lowry, Milo Cleveland Beach, Elisabeth West FitzHugh, Susan Nemanzee, Janet Snyder. An Annotated and Illustrated Checklist of the Vever Collection. Washington and Seattle. cat. 34, p. 25.
Collection Area(s)
Arts of the Islamic World
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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