A BANNER-SHAPED GENEALOGY ON VELLUM, NORTH AFRICA, 16TH-17TH CENTURY

Arabic manuscript on vellum, text written in polychrome Maghribi script, set within polychrome margins of scrolling vines with fleur-de-lys set inside double-ruled borders 79.5 by 56.1cm. max.

CATALOGUE NOTE On this banner, which was probably used in battle, is outlined the genealogy of a certain Abu ‘Abdallah Muhammad ibn Ahmad. His line is traced through ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, from the pre-Islamic ancestor of ‘Ali and the Prophet Muhammad, Ma’ad ibn ‘Adnan. A similar document with nearly an identical border, comparable combination of colours and dated 1029 AH/1620 AD, was sold at Christie’s, 10 April 2014, lot 51.