Walters Ms. W.808, Yusuf and Zulaykha

W.808

Yusuf and Zulaykha

Vernacular: يوسف وزليخا

Authority name: Jāmī, 1414-1492

Supplied name: Nūr al-Dīn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Aḥmad Jāmī

Name, in vernacular: نور الدين عبد الرحمان بن احمد جامى

Note: Author dates preferred by cataloger: d. 898 AH / 1492 CE

This is an illustrated and illuminated Safavid copy of Joseph (Yūsuf) and Zulaykhā by Nūr al-Dīn Jāmī (d. 898 AH / 1492 CE), executed in Iran in the early tenth century AH / sixteenth CE. The codex opens with a double-page illuminated incipit (fols. 1b-2a) containing the first verses of the work, the title, and the author's name. There are eight paintings illustrating the text. The binding is slightly later than the manuscript.

Early 10th century AH / 16th CE

Iran

Book

Literary -- Poetry

The primary language in this manuscript is Persian.

Paper

Laid paper

Foliation: i+155+i

Catchwords: Written on versos

12.5 cm wide by 23.5 cm high

6.0 cm wide by 13.4 cm high

1. Columns: 2
2. Ruled lines: 14
3. Framing lines in blue, gold, and black

1. Title: Yūsuf va Zulaykhā
2. Author: Jāmī, 1414-1492
3. Incipit: الهى غنچه اميد بكشاى ...
4. Hand note: Written in nastaʿlīq script in black; chapter headings in gold
5. Decoration note: Eight illustrations; double-page illuminated incipit (fols. 1b-2a); framing lines in blue, gold, and black

fol. 1b:

1. 
2. Title: Double-page illuminated incipit
3. Form: Incipit
4. Label: This is the right side of a double-page illuminated incipit with an inscription containing the first verses of the work in white ink, the title of the work, and the author's name.

fol. 2a:

1. 
2. Title: Double-page illuminated incipit
3. Form: Incipit
4. Label: This is the left side of a double-page illuminated incipit with an inscription containing the first verses of the work in white ink, the title of the work, and the author's name.

fol. 24b:

1. 
2. Title: Zulaykhā, her family, and courtiers in their palace in the Maghreb
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 47b:

1. 
2. Title: Zulaykhā in her palace in Egypt
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 64b:

1. 
2. Title: Joseph being sold to the vizier of Egypt on the insistence of Zulaykhā
3. Form: Illustration
4. Label: This illustration depicts Joseph (Yūsuf) being sold to the vizier of Egypt (al-ʿAzīz) on the insistence of Zulaykhā.

fol. 85a:

1. 
2. Title: Joseph being approached by beautiful maidens sent to him by Zulaykhā in order to seduce him
3. Form: Illustration
4. Label: This illustration depicts Joseph (Yūsuf) being approached by beautiful maidens sent to him by Zulaykhā in order to seduce him.

fol. 96a:

1. 
2. Title: Joseph preventing Zulaykhā from stabbing herself with a dagger
3. Form: Illustration
4. Label: This illustration depicts Joseph (Yūsuf) preventing Zulaykhā from stabbing herself with a dagger.

fol. 105a:

1. 
2. Title: Egyptian women, stunned by Joseph's beauty, injuring their fingers while peeling fruit
3. Form: Illustration
4. Label: This illustration depicts Egyptian women, stunned by Joseph's (Yūsuf's) beauty, injuring their fingers while peeling fruit.

fol. 124a:

1. 
2. Title: Joseph explaining his dream to the Pharaoh
3. Form: Illustration
4. Label: This illustration depicts Joseph (Yūsuf) explaining his dream to the Pharaoh.

fol. 136a:

1. 
2. Title: Joseph and Zulaykhā in their wedding chamber
3. Form: Illustration
4. Label: This illustration depicts Joseph (Yūsuf) and Zulaykhā in their wedding chamber.

The binding is not original.

Brown leather (with flap); dentelle style with gold-brushed central ovals and cornerpieces; doublures of dentelle-style pattern with blue filigree work

Gift in honor of Sara D. Redmond by her family

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.