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Walters Ms. W.674, Ottoman diploma in calligraphy

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Shelf mark

W.674


Manuscript

Ottoman diploma in calligraphy


Text title
Ijāzah

Vernacular: اجازة


Abstract

This manuscript is a diploma/certificate (ijāzah) granted to the Ottoman calligrapher Muḥammad Ḥilmī Afandī (Mehmet Hilmi Efendi) in 1219 AH / 1804-5 CE by four master calligraphers: Yāzījī-zādah, Ismāʿīl al-Zuhdī Kātib al-Sarāy al-Sulṭānī, Muḥammad Ḥasīb, and ʿAlī al-Waṣfī. The main text, consisting of a quotation attributed to the Prophet Muhammad and extolling the virtue of elegantly writing the doxological formula (basmalah), "in the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful," is executed in thuluth and naskh scripts.


Date

1219 AH / 1804-5 CE


Origin

Turkey


Scribe

As-written name: Muḥammad Ḥilmi Afandī

Name, in vernacular: محمد حلمي افندي


Form

Book


Genre

Historical


Language:

The primary language in this manuscript is Arabic.


Support material

Paper

Mounted on thin pasteboard


Extent

Foliation: 2


Dimensions

22.0 cm wide by 16.0 cm high


Contents:
fols. 1b - 2a:
  1. Title: Ijāzah
  2. Scribe: Muḥammad Ḥilmi Afandī
  3. Incipit: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من كتب بسم الله...
  4. Text note: Main text consists of a quotation attributed to the Prophet Muhammad extolling the virtue of elegantly writing the doxological formula (basmalah), "in the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful"
  5. Hand note: Doxological formula (basmalah) written in thuluth script; quotation written in naskh script; diplomas/certificates written in ijāzah script
  6. Decoration note: Richly decorated borders and areas around the text

Decoration:

fol. 1b:

  1. W.674, fol. 1b
  2. Title: Page of an Ottoman diploma in calligraphy
  3. Form: Text page
  4. Label: This page bears the following inscription: Bi-sm Allāh al-Raḥmān al-Raḥim /1/ Qāla Rasūl Allāh ṣallá Allāh ʿalayhi wa-sallama /1/ man kataba /2/ bi-sm Allāh al-Raḥmān al-Raḥim wa-jawwadahu fa-lahu al-jannatu ṣadaqa Ḥabīb al-Ilāh [sic] /3/

fol. 2a:

  1. W.674, fol. 2a
  2. Title: Page of an Ottoman diploma in calligraphy
  3. Form: Text page
  4. Label: This page bears four diplomas written within illuminated cartouches inscribed in ijāzah script by the following master calligraphers: Yāzījī zādah, Ismāʿīl al-Zuhdī Kātib al-Sarāy al-Sulṭānī, Muḥammad Ḥasīb, and ʿAlī al-Waṣfī. The page is dated 1219 AH / 1804-5 CE.

Binding

The binding is not original.

Modern green goatskin (no flap)


Acquisition

Walters Art Museum, 1931, by Henry Walters bequest


Contributors

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


Publisher

The Walters Art Museum


License

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.