Skip to Main Content

Qur'an Manuscript Folio (recto); left side of bifolio

800s
gold, ink and colors on parchment
Overall: 26.7 x 73 cm (10 1/2 x 28 3/4 in.); Text area: 22.8 x 30 cm (9 x 11 13/16 in.)
The Severance and Greta Millikin Purchase Fund 1993.39.2.a
Location: not on view
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.

Download, Print and Share

Did You Know?

The text is from the Chapter of the Moon (54:13–27).

Description

Calligraphy, the art of beautiful writing, was elevated above all other art forms in the Islamic world because Allah, God, revealed the divine word of Islam to the Prophet Muhammad in the Arabic language. Arabic script evolved gradually until the 800s when Muslim scribes produced copies of the Qur'an that were calligraphic masterpieces. This Qur'an, written entirely in gold, exemplifies the angular form of writing known as kufic at its majestic best. Distinctive markings—short ink strokes, colored dots—identify the vocalization of the text. The folio is framed by an interlacing border and displays a leafy motif in the outer margin.
Qur'an Manuscript Folio (recto); left side of bifolio

Qur'an Manuscript Folio (recto); left side of bifolio

800s

North Africa, Aghlabid or Abbasid Period, 9th century

See Also

Visually Similar Artworks

Contact us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@clevelandart.org.

To request more information about this object, study images, or bibliography, contact the Ingalls Library Reference Desk.

All images and data available through Open Access can be downloaded for free. For images not available through Open Access, a detail image, or any image with a color bar, request a digital file from Image Services.