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Manuscript/Mixed Material Colophon of "Makhzan al-Asrar"; title page of "Khusraw va Shirin"

About this Item

Title

  • Colophon of "Makhzan al-Asrar"; title page of "Khusraw va Shirin"

Created / Published

  • 1550-1600

Headings

  • -  Calligraphy, Arabic
  • -  Calligraphy, Persian
  • -  Manuscripts, Persian--Washington (D.C.)
  • -  Iran
  • -  Arabic script calligraphy
  • -  Illuminated Islamic manuscripts
  • -  Islamic calligraphy
  • -  Islamic manuscripts
  • -  Nasta'liq

Notes

  • -  Colophon of "Makhzan al-Asrar"; title page of "Khusraw va Shirin" from the Nizami's Khamsah, Shirazi style Safavid Persian illuminated manuscript in Nasta'liq script.
  • -  Dimensions of Written Surface: Recto:12.1 (w) x 14.9 (h) cm. Dimensions of Written Surface: Verso: 12 9 (w) x 21 (h) cm
  • -  Nine other folios from the same manuscript --mostly initial and terminal folios of the various books (kitab) from the "Khamsah", as well as one painting from the story of Laylah wa Majnun -- are held in the Library of Congress as well. These bear the same nasta'liq script at 20 lines in 4 columns/page within a similar written surface size of c. 12 (w) x 21 (h) cm. The folios are: 1-85-154.1a R & V, 1-85-154.1b R & V, 1-85-154.2a R, 1-85-154.2b R & V, and 1-86-154.123 R (painting) & V.
  • -  The "Makhzan al-Asrar" is a didactic-philosophical work and does not consist of epic or romantic tales like those in the following four books of the "Khamsah". It includes a number of stories about kings and rulers, with several moral lessons to be learned.
  • -  The final lines of the "Makhzan al-Asrar" on this folio are executed in a carpet-page format, i.e. in alternating horizontal and diagonal lines with illuminated decoration in the remnant triangular or rectangular spaces. At the very bottom of the folio appears the work's colophon, which states that the book "Makhzan al-Asrar" was finished thanks to the grace of God. Unfortunately, the colophon gives neither the date of the book's completion nor the name of the calligrapher.
  • -  The illuminated title page here includes the book's heading written in white ink, which reads: "Kitab-i Khusraw va Shirin, Shaykh Nizami." The title appears on a gold background decorated with red and blue flowers. All around the title panel and the written surface appear bands of illuminated decoration on either a gold or blue background. On the back of this folio appear the last lines of the previous book, i.e. "Makhzan al-Asrar" (The Treasury of Secrets), whose colophon unfortunately does not specify the place or date of completion (see 1-84-154.2a R).
  • -  The illumination, text layout, and nasta'liq script are typical of manuscripts made in the city of Shiraz during the second half of the sixteenth century. Many Safavid Persian manuscripts at this time were produced for the domestic market and international export, rather than by royal commission.
  • -  The story of "Khusraw va Shirin" narrates the love relationship of the last great Sasanian ruler, Khusraw Parviz (590-628 A.D.) and his beautiful mistress Shirin. Many of the episodes in this story revolve around the complications caused by the king's ruses and his mistress' strength and faithfulness. Exceptionally understanding of women's personalities, there is no doubt that the character of Shirin was based on Nizami's own wife (for the story of "Khusraw va Shirin", see P. Chelkowski et al, "Mirror of the Invisible World: Tales from the Khamseh of Nizami" [New York, 1975]: 21-48).
  • -  This folio contains the illuminated title page of the second book of Nizami's "Khamsah" (Quintet), entitled "Khusraw va Shirin", and the colophon of the preceding work, "Makhzan al-Asrar" (The Treasury of Secrets). Written during the last few decades of the 12th century A.D., the "Khamsah" consists of five books (kitab) written in rhyming distichs (mathnavi). Along with Firdawsi's "Shahnamah" (Book of Kings), the "Khamsah" stands out as one of the great monuments of medieval Persian poetry. Both works were oftentimes produced in manuscript form and provided with attendant paintings.
  • -  Script: nasta'liq
  • -  1-84-154.2a

Medium

  • 1 volume ; 22.3 (w) x 34.4 (h) cm

Repository

  • Library of Congress African and Middle Eastern Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2019714497

Online Format

  • pdf
  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

IIIF Presentation Manifest

Rights & Access

The contents of the Library of Congress Selections of Arabic, Persian, and Ottoman Calligraphy are in the public domain or have no known copyright restrictions and are free to use and reuse.

Credit Line: Library of Congress, African and Middle East Division, Near East Section Persian Manuscript Collection

Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Colophon of "Makhzan al-Asrar"; title page of "Khusraw va Shirin". to 1600, 1550. Manuscript/Mixed Material. https://www.loc.gov/item/2019714497/.

APA citation style:

(1550) Colophon of "Makhzan al-Asrar"; title page of "Khusraw va Shirin". to 1600. [Manuscript/Mixed Material] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2019714497/.

MLA citation style:

Colophon of "Makhzan al-Asrar"; title page of "Khusraw va Shirin". to 1600, 1550. Manuscript/Mixed Material. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2019714497/>.