Lot 106 A TIMURID MANUSCRIPT, THREE ARTICLES, PERSIA, 15TH CENTURY
Arabic and Persian Manuscript on Paper. Comprising 22 leaves, each page inscribed with 11 lines in a combination of Arabic naskh and Persian nastaʿlīq scripts, meticulously ruled within gold borders. Titles and significant words are highlighted in gold, enhancing the manuscript’s refined visual aesthetic.
The manuscript includes three distinct works: 1-Ṣafīr-e Sīmurgh (The Simurgh’s Shrill Cry) – A philosophical allegory and mystical treatise by Shihab al-Din Yahya ibn Habash Suhrawardi (known as Sohrevardi), the eminent Persian philosopher and founder of the School of Illumination (Ishrāq), a pivotal tradition in Islamic philosophy. 2-Poetry (Quatrains) – A selection of rubāʿiyyāt (quatrains) by Afdal al-Din Kashani, known as Baba Afzal, a distinguished Persian poet and philosopher. He is regarded as one of the three greatest masters of the quatrain form in Persian literature, his philosophical prose rivaled only by that of Suhrawardi. 3-The Testament of Abū Jaʿfar al-Mansur – A moral and political will addressed to his son, al-Mahdi, composed before the former’s pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj). This document reflects the Abbasid caliph’s counsel on governance and piety.
Each section opens with a lavishly illuminated headpiece featuring royal blue and gold ornamentation framing inscriptions in stylized Kufic script. The manuscript bears multiple ownership notes and seals, dated 1031 AH, 1204 AH, and 1255 AH, attesting to its historical circulation and preservation. Text area: 6 × 11.5 cm