ArtistCalligraphy by
Sultan 'Ali Mashhadi(Persian, died 1520)Persian, died 1520
Author
'Abd al-Rahman Jami(Persian, 1414–1492)Persian, 1414–1492
Commissioner
Badi' al-Zaman Mirza(Timurid, died 1514)Timurid, died 1514
ArtistBorders decorated later by
Mushfiq(Mughal, active late 16th–early 17th century)Mughal, active late 16th–early 17th century
CulturePersian and Indian
Titles
- Page from a Manuscript of the Panj Ganj (Five Treasures) of Jami
Datebefore 1520 and c. 1603
MediumInk, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper
DimensionsFolio: 12 1/16 × 7 3/8 in. (30.7 × 18.8 cm)
Calligraphy: 6 7/8 × 3 9/16 in. (17.5 × 9 cm)
Calligraphy: 6 7/8 × 3 9/16 in. (17.5 × 9 cm)
Credit LineMuseum purchase funded by the 2017 Art of the Islamic Worlds Gala
Object number2017.436
Non exposé
Explore Further
Department
Art of the Islamic WorldsObject Type
ProvenanceBadi al-Zaman Mirza, Herat;
Royal Library of Shah Ismail, Tabriz, 1522–1523;
Abdul Rahim, Agra;
Mughal Royal Library, Agra, 1624–1719, under Emperors Jahangir, Shah Jahan, Aurangzeb, Farrukhsiyar;
Possibly Nadir Shah, 1738;
Mizra Ya'qub Khan, 1906-7;
Georges Demotte, early 20th century;
[Christie's, London, October 4 2012, Lot 25];
purchased by MFAH, 2017
Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks
The main text is from the romance titled "Kheradnameh-ye Eskandari" ("The Alexandrian Book of Wisdom"). The text on the recto (dark brown borders) describes the grief of Alexander's followers upon his death and the preparations for his funeral--Alexander's body was washed in musk and rosewater and his shroud and the fittings of his gold coffin were made from precious silks. The verso (orange-colored borders) contains the first of ten lamentations of a group of sages who reflect on the lessons to draw from the life of Alexander. The chapter heading in gold nasta‘liq reads: "nodbeh-ye hakim-e avval" ("Lamentation of the First Sage").
In the margins are verses from a separate 'masnavi,' "Salaman va Absal." It tells the story of the love of Salaman, the son of the king of Greece, for his wet-nurse, Absal. As their love is forbidden by the king, the couple decided to end their lives by leaping into a fire. While the nurse dies, the inconsolable Salaman survives. He is eventually cured of his love for Absal by a sage who repeatedly shows him an image of Venus with whom he falls in love. In this way, Salaman becomes worthy of the throne and takes his father’s place. At this point in the narrative Salaman is cured of his love for Absal and is handed the kingdom by his father.
[Translated by Will Kwiatkowski and provided by Simon Ray.]
In the margins are verses from a separate 'masnavi,' "Salaman va Absal." It tells the story of the love of Salaman, the son of the king of Greece, for his wet-nurse, Absal. As their love is forbidden by the king, the couple decided to end their lives by leaping into a fire. While the nurse dies, the inconsolable Salaman survives. He is eventually cured of his love for Absal by a sage who repeatedly shows him an image of Venus with whom he falls in love. In this way, Salaman becomes worthy of the throne and takes his father’s place. At this point in the narrative Salaman is cured of his love for Absal and is handed the kingdom by his father.
[Translated by Will Kwiatkowski and provided by Simon Ray.]
Cataloguing data may change with further research.
If you have questions about this work of art or the MFAH Online Collection please contact us.
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