Large Qur’an manuscript on paper
The following manuscript is one of the highest examples of Qajar royal art from its golden period. It depicts an extremely fine Naskhi calligraphy, a magnificent illumination throughout with an original contemporary floral lacquer binding. It is not only important for the lavish workmanship on every page but highly important as a historical royal piece.
An inscription on the last folio mentions that it was originally made for Mirza ‘Ali Muhammad Khan, son of ‘Abdallah Khan Amin al-Mulk, the husband of Khorshid Kolah Khanum, the 42nd daughter of Fath Ali Shah. There are seal impressions of ‘waqf of Anis al-Dowleh throughout the text, which shows that the Qur’an was in her possession.
Anis al-Dowleh was the favourite of the 85 wives of Nasser al-Din Shah (ruled AH 1264-1313/1848-1896 CE). She was praised and known for her piety, benevolence, tact and intelligence and therefore quite powerful and influential. Her title ‘Anis al-Dowleh meaning ‘Companion of the Sovereign’ was given to her by Nasser al-Din as a testimony of his respect and love for her.
The Qur’an begins with two very lavishly illuminated bifolios written in gold with prayers and lists of the Suras in panels of green, lapis and blue, with wide borders of interlacing scrolls and foliage in gold encompassing red and green palmettes. The shamses state the prayers that are to be read before reading the Qur’an:
الهم زين به لساني وجمل به وجهي وقو به جسدي وثقل به ميزاني
وارزقني حق تلاوته علي طاعتك انا، الليل واطراف النهار واحشرني مع النبي محمد واله
The text follows in a very strong bold Naskhi in black with suras written in gold on green or blue panels. There is also an interlinear translation in red nastaliq with more commentary and prayer in black within gold panels in the outer margins.
The inside doublures of the floral lacquer binding depicts the ‘Asma ol Hosna (the 99 names of Allah) in gold within a grid pattern with more prayers and divinations in ‘abjad’ in the lower half and a prayer in Persian around the outer margin all in gold on a black background.