Description:

 AN OTTOMAN CALLIGRAPHY PANEL
Signed and dated 1349 AH / 1930 AD

Description:
A finely executed Ottoman calligraphic panel inscribed in bold thuluth and naskh scripts, showcasing a section from Surah al-Rahman (Qur'an 55). The central phrase in large thuluth reads:

"الرحمن علم القرآن"
“The Most Merciful, taught the Qur'an.”

This is framed by smaller script from the surrounding verses, including:
"خلق الإنسان، علمه البيان، الشمس والقمر بحسبان، والنجم والشجر يسجدان"
("He created man. Taught him eloquence. The sun and the moon move by precise calculation. And the stars and the trees prostrate.") – Qur'an 55:3–6.

Above the main text appears the basmala (بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم) rendered in a decorative cartouche, and the composition is enclosed by a richly illuminated border of interlaced geometric and floral motifs in vibrant gold, purple, crimson, and turquoise tones—hallmarks of late Ottoman aesthetic tradition.

Dimensions:
Length: 65 cm
Width: 50 cm

Calligraphy:
Executed in thuluth (large central lines) and naskh (smaller Qur'anic script), with the calligrapher’s signature and date beneath the central inscription. The date 1349 AH / 1930 AD places this work in the twilight of the Ottoman tradition, during a period of transitional artistic identity in Turkey.

Comparable Examples:

  • A similar Ottoman calligraphic hilya (19th century) sold at Sotheby’s, 2018, for £12,500, featuring Qur’anic verses in comparable thuluth and naskh arrangement.

A dated Qur’anic panel signed by Aziz Efendi (early 20th century) at Bonhams, 2020, fetched £9,375.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

MasterCard, Visa, Wire Transfer

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May 6, 2025 1:00 PM BST
London, United Kingdom

PLAKAS

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Bid Increments
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£0 £99 £5
£100 £199 £10
£200 £499 £20
£500 £999 £50
£1,000 £1,999 £100
£2,000 £4,999 £200
£5,000 £9,999 £500
£10,000 £19,999 £1,000
£20,000 £49,999 £2,000
£50,000 £99,999 £5,000
£100,000 £199,999 £10,000
£200,000 £499,999 £20,000
£500,000 £999,999 £50,000
£1,000,000 + £100,000