Hizb (Litany) of an-Nawawi, 1152 A.H./1730 A.D.
Turkey
Ink, colors, and gold on paper; 7 1/2 x 4 13/16 in. (19.1 x 12.2 cm)
Gift of Richard Ettinghausen, 1975 (1975.192.1)
Turkey
Ink, colors, and gold on paper; 7 1/2 x 4 13/16 in. (19.1 x 12.2 cm)
Gift of Richard Ettinghausen, 1975 (1975.192.1)
This tiny manuscript is endowed with a fully illuminated opening page and an illuminated decoration heading the litany. The little flower heads are a hallmark of Turkish decorative arts; the shape of the cartouches and the choice of colors (mauve, deep red, gray green, black) are also characteristic. The exquisite drawing of the illuminated heading, as well as the typically Turkish palmette and leaf-scroll border, demonstrate an incredibly high standard of workmanship, not to mention the superb quality of the calligraphy.

















