Page of Calligraphy from a Mantiq al-Tayr (Language of the Birds)

Author Farid al-Din `Attar Iranian

Not on view

The Mantiq al-Tair, a twelfth-century allegorical text about man's quest for spiritual union, was given an elaborate treatment in this royal copy prepared in the atelier of the Timurid sovereign and patron Sultan Husain Mirza. It was later prized at the Safavid court under Shah Abbas I, who had the manuscript modified and presented it to the shrine of his ancestors at Ardebil. The last text page of the manuscript which concludes with a colophon dated A.H. 892 and the signature of the calligrapher

Page of Calligraphy from a Mantiq al-Tayr (Language of the Birds), Farid al-Din `Attar (Iranian, Nishapur ca. 1142–ca. 1220 Nishapur), Opaque watercolor, ink, silver, and gold on paper

This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Open Access

As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.

API

Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.

Page of Calligraphy from a Mantiq al-Tayr (Language of the Birds), Farid al-Din `Attar (Iranian, Nishapur ca. 1142–ca. 1220 Nishapur), Opaque watercolor, ink, silver, and gold on paper
Page of Calligraphy from a Mantiq al-Tayr (Language of the Birds), Farid al-Din `Attar (Iranian, Nishapur ca. 1142–ca. 1220 Nishapur), Opaque watercolor, ink, silver, and gold on paper

This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.