A Lavishly Illuminated Copy of al-Jazuli’s Dala’il al-Khayrat

Location: Turkey, probably Istanbul

Materials: ink, gold and opaque watercolour on paper; contemporary leather binding with silver and gilt decoration and embossed doublures

Dimensions: 84 folios; 18.4 X 11.5cm

Accession Number: MSS 276

Other Notes:

The lavish illumination of this copy of al-Jazuli’s pious text includes headpieces; tail-pieces; and irregularly-shaped medallions in the margins. In addition, a double spread (folios 16b–17a) bears depictions of the Holy Sanctuary at Mecca and the Prophet’s mosque at Medina.

Script:

copied in naskh script; 13 lines to the page

Bibliography:

S. Vernoit, Occidentalism. Islamic Art in the 19th Century, The Nasser D. Khalili Collection of Islamic Art, volume XXIII, London 1997, cat.15, p.36.
J.M. Rogers, The Arts of Islam. Masterpieces from the Khalili Collection, London 2010, cat.288, p.253.