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Page with illuminated calligraphy, Hadith (Sayings of the Prophet Muhammad)
Calligrapher: Mustafâ el-Kütâhî (Ottoman, 18th century)
about 1750-1800
Object Place: Turkey
Medium/Technique
Ink, color and gold on paper; colored paper
Dimensions
Height x width: 15.5 × 24.4 cm (6 1/8 × 9 5/8 in.)
Credit Line
Helen and Alice Colburn Fund
Accession Number29.91
NOT ON VIEW
CollectionsAsia, Islamic Art
ClassificationsBooks and manuscripts
Ottoman calligraphers often demonstrated their skills by writing different styles and sizes of Arabic script on rectangular sheets of paper, which were then then illuminated, mounted on pasteboard with colored and marbled papers, and assembled into albums known as muraqqqaʿ. The 18th-century Ottoman calligrapher Mustafâ el-Kütâhî composed this calligraphic panel containing Hadith, or sayings of the Prophet, using the thuluth style of script for the heading and the naskh style for the three small lines. Each component of the calligraphic panel is outlined with gold-lined orange papers, while a gold border frames the entire panel.
DescriptionSingle folio; calligraphy in thuluth and naskh with illumination
ProvenanceMiss Elizabeth (Riefstahl) Titzel (b. 1889 - d. 1986), New York; 1929, sold by Miss Elizabeth (Riefstahl) Titzel to the MFA for $5000.00 (total price for 29.56-136). (Accession Date: January 3, 1929)