Folio from a Qur'an Manuscript
dated A.H. 531/ 1137 CE
Medium
Ink, gold, and opaque watercolor on paper
Dimensions
H. 8 1/2 in. (21.6 cm) W. 4 13/16 in. (12.2 cm)
Classification
Codices
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Louis E. and Theresa S. Seley Purchase Fund for Islamic Art and Rogers Fund, 1996
Accession Number
1996.294.7
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite folio from a Qur'an manuscript, created by the calligrapher Muhammad al-Zanjani in 1137 CE, exemplifies the profound reverence for sacred text in Islamic tradition. Measuring just over eight inches tall, the page features elegant Arabic script rendered in ink, accented with gold and opaque watercolor. As part of a complete codex, it would have formed one leaf in a bound volume intended for study or recitation, highlighting the central role of the Qur'an in daily spiritual life during the medieval period. Al-Zanjani, likely working in Persia, contributed to a golden age of manus...