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Lot Essay
These twelves folios are important additions to a group with similarly elaborately illuminated and illustrated margins, providing valuable documentation of their place of production and patron.
The most well-known folios from this series mounted within illuminated figural and animal cartouches are housed in the Chester Beatty Library. These comprise three folios from the Subhat al-Ahrar of Jami’ (cat.210) and five folios from a Salaman wa Absal by the same author (cat.209) (M. Minovi, B.W. Robinson et.al, The Chester Beatty Library, A Catalogue of the Persian Manuscripts and Miniatures, Dublin, 1960, cat.209 and 210). A further group of four folios from the Khamsa of Nizami are in the Vever collection held in the Cleveland Museum, of Art (Glenn D. Lowry and Milo C. Beach, An Annotated And Illustrated Checklist Of The Vever Collection, Washington, 1990, p.232, nos. 261-264). This comparatively large group exemplifies the creativity of the artists through a charming array of illustrated cartouches depicting human figures, some seated and others playing instruments, angels, and both real and mythical creatures.
These folios were once thought to be produced in the Qazvin style circa 1565-1585, but the appearance of a folio sold in these Rooms 26 April 2012, lot 30 from the same series was dated within the margins to AH 929/1522-3 AD. That folio was also signed by Muhammad Amin who is possibly the same artist as one of the folios in the present group, Muhammad al-Katib. In addition, the inner margin of one folio from this group signed by Hasan ‘Ali records the place of production as Herat, and another records the patron Shah Duraq Ustajlu (Sahib Duraq Ustajlu). His name is noted at the inner margin of three further folios, including one which reads ‘The State of Shah Duraq Ustajlu’.
Although little biographical information remains on our patron, it is most probable that he was a high-ranking noble among the Ustajlu tribe, part of the Qizlbash coalition who were united by their support of Safavid Shi’a Islam. The Ustajlu tribe helped Isma’il I in his conquest of the Aq Qoyunlu and rise to power, including his conquest of Herat in 1509 AD.
Shah Duraq Ustajlu’s name also appears on the margins of two of the four folios of the Khamsa of Nizami in the Vever collection held in the Cleveland Museum, of Art (Glenn D. Lowry and Milo C. Beach, op. cit. nos. 261 and 262). Although not specified on those folios, the fact that these were so clearly commissioned for Shah Duraq Ustajlu would suggest that he was also the patron for the Khamsa manuscript.
Further examples of folios from the group include two folios sold in these Rooms, 5 October 2010, lot 227, and a single folio sold 10 April 2014, lot 85, both of which bore the name of one of our scribes Hasan ‘Ali al-Katib.
The most well-known folios from this series mounted within illuminated figural and animal cartouches are housed in the Chester Beatty Library. These comprise three folios from the Subhat al-Ahrar of Jami’ (cat.210) and five folios from a Salaman wa Absal by the same author (cat.209) (M. Minovi, B.W. Robinson et.al, The Chester Beatty Library, A Catalogue of the Persian Manuscripts and Miniatures, Dublin, 1960, cat.209 and 210). A further group of four folios from the Khamsa of Nizami are in the Vever collection held in the Cleveland Museum, of Art (Glenn D. Lowry and Milo C. Beach, An Annotated And Illustrated Checklist Of The Vever Collection, Washington, 1990, p.232, nos. 261-264). This comparatively large group exemplifies the creativity of the artists through a charming array of illustrated cartouches depicting human figures, some seated and others playing instruments, angels, and both real and mythical creatures.
These folios were once thought to be produced in the Qazvin style circa 1565-1585, but the appearance of a folio sold in these Rooms 26 April 2012, lot 30 from the same series was dated within the margins to AH 929/1522-3 AD. That folio was also signed by Muhammad Amin who is possibly the same artist as one of the folios in the present group, Muhammad al-Katib. In addition, the inner margin of one folio from this group signed by Hasan ‘Ali records the place of production as Herat, and another records the patron Shah Duraq Ustajlu (Sahib Duraq Ustajlu). His name is noted at the inner margin of three further folios, including one which reads ‘The State of Shah Duraq Ustajlu’.
Although little biographical information remains on our patron, it is most probable that he was a high-ranking noble among the Ustajlu tribe, part of the Qizlbash coalition who were united by their support of Safavid Shi’a Islam. The Ustajlu tribe helped Isma’il I in his conquest of the Aq Qoyunlu and rise to power, including his conquest of Herat in 1509 AD.
Shah Duraq Ustajlu’s name also appears on the margins of two of the four folios of the Khamsa of Nizami in the Vever collection held in the Cleveland Museum, of Art (Glenn D. Lowry and Milo C. Beach, op. cit. nos. 261 and 262). Although not specified on those folios, the fact that these were so clearly commissioned for Shah Duraq Ustajlu would suggest that he was also the patron for the Khamsa manuscript.
Further examples of folios from the group include two folios sold in these Rooms, 5 October 2010, lot 227, and a single folio sold 10 April 2014, lot 85, both of which bore the name of one of our scribes Hasan ‘Ali al-Katib.