Description:

 NAZHAT NAMA ALII, A MANUSCRIPT ON SCIENCE WITH OVER TWO HUNDRED PAINTINGS
Persia, likely 18th century or earlier

Description:
A richly illustrated Persian scientific manuscript, the Nazhat Nama Alii, celebrated for its encyclopedic scope and vibrant pictorial program. This extensive work comprises over two hundred vivid miniature paintings spread across its folios, depicting animals, mythical birds, astronomical diagrams, medicinal plants, and various phenomena. The paintings are delicately rendered in gouache and ink, some with gilding, and set within red and blue ruled borders, enhancing the elegance of the composition.

The manuscript is densely inscribed in black nasta‘liq script, occasionally punctuated with rubricated words and section headings. The wide-ranging content suggests the work was intended as a comprehensive guide to natural sciences, encompassing zoology, cosmology, pharmacology, and possibly alchemical theory.

The manuscript is remarkably well-preserved considering its scope and age, with vibrant colors and clean margins. It demonstrates the Persian intellectual tradition’s embrace of observation, synthesis, and artistic expression.

Dimensions:
Length: 36.5 cm
Width: 24.5 cm

Comparable Examples:

  • A similar illustrated Persian encyclopedic manuscript, with over 100 miniatures, sold at Sotheby’s, Arts of the Islamic World, 25 October 2017, Lot 117, for £112,500.

  • A copy of the Ajayib al-Makhluqat (Wonders of Creation), with elaborate naturalistic illustrations, realised £81,250at Christie’s, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds, 24 October 2019, Lot 74.

  • An 18th-century Persian manuscript on zoology with rich illustrations sold at Bonhams, Islamic and Indian Art, 30 April 2018, Lot 154, for £52,500.

Note:
The Nazhat Nama Alii is a lesser-known yet significant contribution to Persian illustrated scientific literature. Its encyclopedic format and sheer quantity of images set it apart as a manuscript likely intended for courtly or scholarly reference. The inclusion of exotic animals and mythological creatures reflects both empirical curiosity and cultural imagination—hallmarks of Persian manuscript tradition.

 

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

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