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"The Mi'raj or The Night Flight of Muhammad on his Steed Buraq", Folio 3v from a Bustan of Sa`di

Calligrapher Sultan Muhammad Nur Iranian
ca. 1525–35
Not on view
The heavenly journey of the Prophet forms a centerpiece of Muslim piety. Persian poets from the thirteenth century onward prefaced their epics with a colorful description of the mi'raj, the heavenly journey that brought the Prophet into the immediate presence of God. This miniature is particularly interesting as the Prophet is shown with his face unveiled, riding on the mysterious mount Buraq. Later pictures of Muhammad generally show him with a veil covering his face, and in more recent times even his entire body is usually symbolized by a white cloud or a rose.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: "The Mi'raj or The Night Flight of Muhammad on his Steed Buraq", Folio 3v from a Bustan of Sa`di
  • Calligrapher: Sultan Muhammad Nur (Iranian, ca. 1472–ca. 1536)
  • Date: ca. 1525–35
  • Geography: Attributed to present-day Uzbekistan and Afghanistan, probably Bukhara and Herat
  • Medium: Ink, gold, and colors on paper
  • Dimensions: Painting: H. 7 1/2 in. (19 cm)
    W. 5 in. (12.7 cm)
    Page: H. 11 in. (27.9 cm)
    W. 7 1/4 in. (18.4 cm)
    Mat: H. 19 1/4 in. (48.9 cm)
    W. 14 1/4 in. (36.2 cm)
  • Classification: Codices
  • Credit Line: Purchase, Louis V. Bell Fund and The Vincent Astor Foundation Gift, 1974
  • Object Number: 1974.294.2
  • Curatorial Department: Islamic Art

More Artwork

More Artwork
Illuminated Frontispiece of a Bustan of Sa`di, Sultan Muhammad Nur Iranian, Folio: Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper<br/>Binding: Leather
Illuminated Frontispiece of a Bustan of Sa`di
Calligrapher Sultan Muhammad Nur
dated 920 AH/1514 CE
Folio from a Mu'nis al-ahrar fi daqa'iq al-ash'ar (The Free Man's Companion to the Subtleties of Poems) of Jajarmi, Muhammad ibn Badr al-Din Jajarmi Iranian, Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper
Folio from a Mu'nis al-ahrar fi daqa'iq al-ash'ar (The Free Man's Companion to the Subtleties of Poems) of Jajarmi
Author Muhammad ibn Badr al-Din Jajarmi
dated 741 AH/1340–41 CE
Page of Calligraphy, Sultan Muhammad Nur Iranian, Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper
Page of Calligraphy
Calligrapher Sultan Muhammad Nur
early 16th century
"The Feast of Sada", Folio 22v from the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp, Abu'l Qasim Firdausi Iranian, Opaque watercolor, ink, silver, and gold on paper
"The Feast of Sada", Folio 22v from the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp
Author Abu'l Qasim Firdausi
Painting attributed to Sultan Muhammad
ca. 1525
Page of Calligraphy from the Bellini Album, Sultan Muhammad Nur Iranian, Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper
Page of Calligraphy from the Bellini Album
Calligrapher Sultan Muhammad Nur
ca. 1600

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