Mantiq al-Tayr (Language of the Birds)

Author Farid al-Din `Attar Iranian
Calligrapher Sultan 'Ali al-Mashhadi Iranian

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 455

This lavishly illuminated double-page frontispiece contains the first twenty lines of prayers. The text areas are enclosed by four large panels that contain the title of the book, Mantiq al-Tayr, and the author's name, Farid al-Din 'Attar, in the middle cartouche. A minute inscription at the edge of these panels says that it was made by a famous illuminator and painter, Zayn al-'Abidin, in Isfahan by the order of Shah 'Abbas. There are another four vertical panels filled with serrated leaves next to the text area. These panels are surrounded by a meticulously arranged lobed band that shows a harmonious combination of gold, blue, light green, orange, pink, and white.

Mantiq al-Tayr (Language of the Birds), Farid al-Din `Attar (Iranian, Nishapur ca. 1142–ca. 1220 Nishapur), Binding: doublure

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inside front binding