Illuminated Frontispiece of a Bustan of Sa`di
dated A.H. 920/ 1514 CE
Medium
Folio: Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper Binding: Leather
Dimensions
Manuscript: H. 11 in. (28 cm) W. 7 5/16 in. (18.6 cm) D. 1 1/4 in. (3.2 cm)
Classification
Codices
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Louis V. Bell Fund and The Vincent Astor Foundation Gift, 1974
Accession Number
1974.294.1
Art Historical Context
This stunning *Illuminated Frontisp of a Bustan of Sa`di*, created by the Persian artist Sultan Muhammad Nur in 4 CE (A.H. 920), opens a luxurious manuscript of the 13th-century poet Sa`di's *Bustan* ("Orchard"), a collection of moral tales and teachings in verse. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Islamic Art Department, this folio exemplifies the early Safavid era's artistic brilliance under Shah Ismail I, when Tabriz emerged as a hub for illuminated manuscripts blending poetry, spirituality, and royal patronage. Crafted with ink, opaque watercolor, and lavish gold on paper, bound i...