Page of Calligraphy
early 16th century
Medium
Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper
Classification
Codices
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Mr. and Mrs. Jerome A. Straka Gift, 1982
Accession Number
1982.120.4
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Page of Calligraphy* Sultan Muhammad Nur, from early 16th century exemplifies the pinnacle of Islamic manuscript artistry. Crafted with ink, opaque watercolor, gold on paper, it to a codex—a bound book format that preserved sacred texts, poetry, and literature in the world. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Department of Islamic Art, this leaf showcases the fusion of poetry and calligraphy, where rhythmic verses dance across the page in elegant script. In the Safavid era of Persia (circa 1501–1736), calligraphy was revered as the noblest art form, embodying spiritual ...