Walters Ms. W.656, Poem (masnavi)

W.656

Poem (masnavi)

Vernacular: صفات العاشقين

As-written name: Nūr al-Dīn Hilālī Jaghatāʾī

Name, in vernacular: نور الدين هلالى جغتائى

This is an illuminated and illustrated Safavid copy of a mystic poem (masnavi) entitled Ṣifat al-ʿāshiqīn (Qualities of lovers) by Nūr al-Dīn Hilālī (d. 936 AH / 1529-30 CE). It was written in nastaʿlīq script by Muʿizz al-Dīn Muḥammad al-Ḥusaynī in 978 AH / 1570-1 CE. The manuscript opens with a double-page illustrated frontispiece (fols. 1b-2a), followed by a double-page illuminated incipit (fols. 2b-3a). Borders throughout the codex are illuminated with floral and bird motifs. The lacquer binding is original to the manuscript.

978 AH / 1570-1 CE

Iran

As-written name: Muʿizz al-Dīn Muḥammad al-Ḥusaynī

Name, in vernacular: معز الدين محمد الحسيني

Note: Sometimes referred to as Badr al-Din Hilali

Book

Literary -- Poetry

Sufi

The primary language in this manuscript is Persian.

1. Transliteration: katabahu al-ʿabd al-faqīr al-ḥaqīr al-mudhnib al-muḥtāj ilá raḥmat Allāh al-ghanī /1/ Muʿizz al-Dīn Muḥammad al-Ḥusaynī ghafara Allāh dhunūbah wa-satara ʿuyūbahu fī /2/ fī sanat 978 /3/
2. Comment: In Arabic, giving the name of the scribe and the date of copying

Foliation: 58+i

Catchwords: Written obliquely on versos

15.0 cm wide by 25.5 cm high

7.0 cm wide by 14.5 cm high

1. Columns: 2
2. Ruled lines: 12
3. Text written horizontally and obliquely; framing lines in blue, gold, red, and light blue

1. Title: Ṣifat al-ʿāshiqīn
2. Author: Nūr al-Dīn Hilālī Jaghatāʾī
3. Scribe: Muʿizz al-Dīn Muḥammad al-Ḥusaynī
4. Incipit: خداوند درى از غيب بكشاى...
5. Hand note: Written in nastaʿlīq script in black with ploychrome chapter headings
6. Decoration note: Six illustrations; double-page illustrated frontispiece (fols. 1b-2a); double-page illuminated incipit (fols. 2b-3a); illuminated border with floral and bird motifs; illuminated chapter/section headings; framing lines in blue, gold, red, and light blue

fol. 1b:

1. 
2. Title: Double-page illustrated frontispiece
3. Form: Illustration; frontispiece
4. Label: This is the right side of a double-page illustrated frontispiece depicting a festive gathering in a landscape with poets, chess players, and servants preparing food.

fol. 2a:

1. 
2. Title: Double-page illustrated frontispiece
3. Form: Illustration; frontispiece
4. Label: This is the left side of a double-page illustrated frontispiece depicting a festive gathering in a landscape with poets, chess players, and servants preparing food.

fol. 8a:

1. 
2. Title: Ascension of the Prophet Muhammad
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 22a:

1. 
2. Title: A brave man with a sword killing a lion
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 26b:

1. 
2. Title: Majnūn among animals in the wilderness
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 31b:

1. 
2. Title: Sultan Maḥmūd and Ayāz in a landscape
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 48a:

1. 
2. Title: A festive party with a hunter and his young friends
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 53a:

1. 
2. Title: A love-struck beggar brings a ball to the king
3. Form: Illustration

The binding is original.

Lacquer (without flap); decorated with animals and floral motifs; doublures with dentelle-style decoration in gold and blue

Walters Art Museum, 1931, by Henry Walters bequest

Richard, Francis. Catalogue des manuscrits persans. (Paris: Bibliothèque nationale, 1989), nos. 351-2.

Principal cataloger: Gacek, Adam

Catalogers: Landau, Amy; Smith, Sita

Editor: Bockrath, Diane

Conservators: Jewell, Stephanie; Quandt, Abigail

Contributors: Barrera, Christina; Emery, Doug; Herbert, Lynley; Noel, William; Simpson, Shreve; Tabritha, Ariel; Toth, Michael B.; Valle, Chiara

The Walters Art Museum

Licensed for use under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported Access Rights, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/legalcode. It is requested that copies of any published articles based on the information in this data set be sent to the curator of manuscripts, The Walters Art Museum, 600 North Charles Street, Baltimore MD 21201.