Folio from a Qur'an Manuscript

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 451

This large early Abbasid Qur'an leaf in kufic script includes segments from suras of Ibrahim (sura 14) and the Rock (sura 15). The sixteen lines of text are penned in a distinct syle of kufic which priveleges horizontality over verticality. The letters are stretched horizontally along the baseline while descending letters are rounded like hooks making for a graphically striking overall effect. As in many early Qur'an folios, the vowels are marked with red and green dots and illumination is kept to a minimum.

Folio from a Qur'an Manuscript, Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on parchment

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Folio from a Qur'an Manuscript, Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on parchment
Folio from a Qur'an Manuscript, Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on parchment

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