Two folios from a book of prayers

Detached double-folio from a book of prayers; Arabic in black, gold, and red late maghribi script with gold knot verse markers, illuminated heading, and illuminated marginal roundel; vocalized in red, hamza in gold dots; one column; 12 lines of text.
Border: The text is set in gold and red rulings on a cream-colored paper.

Historical period(s)
19th century
Medium
Ink and color on paper
Dimensions
H x W (sheet (each)): 11.5 x 9 cm (4 1/2 x 3 9/16 in)
Geography
West Africa
Credit Line
Bequest of Adrienne Minassian
Collection
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
Accession Number
S1998.227.1-2
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Calligraphy
Type

Double Folio

Keywords
maghribi script, prayer, West Africa, WWII-era provenance
Provenance
Provenance research underway.
Description

Detached double-folio from a book of prayers; Arabic in black, gold, and red late maghribi script with gold knot verse markers, illuminated heading, and illuminated marginal roundel; vocalized in red, hamza in gold dots; one column; 12 lines of text.
Border: The text is set in gold and red rulings on a cream-colored paper.

Label

These two detached folios, originally part of a book of prayers, were probably copied in West Africa. Attributable to the nineteenth century, the folios are written in light brown ink in the maghribi script and are embellished with designs in ochre, blue, and red -- colors obviously inspred by the more costly gold and ground lapis lazuli used to illuminate manuscripts elsewhere in the Islamic world.  Both the script and "illumination" of these folios recall the North African manuscript tradition and illustrate the close artistic link between North and sub-Saharan Africa.

Published References
  • Christiane Gruber. The Praiseworthy One: The Prophet Muhammad in Islamic Texts and Images. Bloomington, Indiana. p. 9, fig. 1.3.
Collection Area(s)
Arts of the Islamic World
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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