Double Page in Nasta'liq Script from a Yusuf and Zulaikha of Jami
second half 16th century
Medium
Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper
Dimensions
Entire Book: H. 9 9/16 in. (24.3 cm) W. 6 3/16 in. (15.7 cm) Thickness: 1 13/16 in. (4.6 cm) Text: H. 9 in. (22.9 cm) W. 5 1/4 in. (13.3cm)
Classification
Codices
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Cora Timken Burnett Collection of Persian Miniatures and Other Persian Art Objects, Bequest of Cora Timken Burnett, 1956
Accession Number
57.51.39
Art Historical Context
This exquisite double-page spread in Nasta'liq script from a 16th manuscript of *Yusuf and Zulaikha*, the renowned Persian poem by Sufi mystic Maulana Nur al-Din `Abd al-Rahman Jami. Composed in the late 15th century, Jami's romantic epic reinterprets the Quranic tale of the prophet Yusuf (Joseph) and Zulaikha (Potiphar's wife) as a profound allegory of divine love and spiritual longing. Produced in the second half of the 16th century—likely during the Safavid in Persia—this page exemplifies the pinnacle of Islamic manuscript arts, blending poetry with visual splendor. Crafted with ink, opaqu...