Description:

AN ILKHANID QURAN LEAF, IRAN, 14TH CENTURY
Iran, 14th century

Description:
Ink, gold, and opaque watercolour on paper; Arabic manuscript in a bold, elegant muhaqqaq script, written with black ink on cream paper, with vowel marks in red and diacritics in black. Verse markers in the form of intricate gold and blue rosettes, delicately illuminated. The script is spacious and rhythmic, indicative of Ilkhanid stylistic traditions.  

Dimensions: 50 x 39 cm

These folios are exemplary of Ilkhanid manuscript production, reflecting the high level of calligraphic refinement and restrained yet luxurious illumination typical of Qurans produced under Mongol patronage in 14th-century Iran. Such Qurans often formed part of grand waqf (pious endowment) commissions and were prized for both their religious and artistic value.

Comparable examples:

  • A Quran bifolio in muhaqqaq script, attributed to 14th-century Iran, sold at Sotheby’s, London, Arts of the Islamic World, 27 April 2022, Lot 5, for £16,380.

  • A similar Ilkhanid Quran leaf, featuring gold rosette markers and large script, sold at Christie’s, London, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds, 25 October 2018, Lot 28, for £11,250.

  • Another closely related folio, on a slightly smaller scale, sold at Bonhams, London, Islamic and Indian Art, 11 June 2012, Lot 7, for £9,375.

Note:
The use of muhaqqaq—a script revered for its clarity and majesty—was largely reserved for high-status Qurans of the Mamluk and Ilkhanid periods. The combination of script style, gold ornamentation, and large dimensions places this folio within the sophisticated Qur’anic production associated with royal or elite patronage during the 14th century.

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May 6, 2025 1:00 PM BST
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