The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of April 18, 2024

Qur'an Manuscript Folio (Recto); Illuminated Page

Qur'an Manuscript Folio (Recto); Illuminated Page

1500s
(1501–1722)
ink, gold, and colors on paper
Sheet: 49 x 36.3 cm (19 5/16 x 14 5/16 in.)
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1924.746.1.a
Location: not on view

Description

The Qur'an is the sacred book of Islam. In the view of orthodox Muslims, it is the literal word of God as revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (d. 632) in the Arabic language, and thus, recorded in the Arabic script. Because of its association with the divine word, Arabic calligraphy came to be a supreme art form in the Islamic world. As the quintessential symbol of the culture, it became a pervasive decorative element in Islamic art and architecture. Although secondary to calligraphy, a tradition of illumination—that is, ornamentation with colors and gold—developed to enhance the pages of the Qur'an. Because of the prestige associated with the book arts in the Islamic world, the decorative motifs employed by illuminators (scrolling vines, blossoms, lozenges, and cartouches) found their way into other art forms, for example, metalwork, textiles, and carpets.
  • ?-1924
    (Hagop Kevorkian [1872–1962], New York, NY, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art)
    1924-
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • Sims, Lowery Stokes. The persistence of geometry: form, content, and culture in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 2006. Mentioned: no. 23, p. 116; Reproduced: p. 40
  • The Persistence of Geometry: Form, Content and Culture in the Collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland (MOCA), Cleveland, OH (June 9-August 20, 2006).
    Oriental Art. Berea College, Berea, KY (organizer) (November 1-December 1, 1962).
    Decorative Style. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (September 8, 1961-January 7, 1962).
    Materials of the Artist. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (March 4-December 12, 1958).
    Art: The International Language. The Cleveland Museum of Art (October 2-November 4, 1956).
  • {{cite web|title=Qur'an Manuscript Folio (Recto); Illuminated Page|url=false|author=|year=1500s|access-date=18 April 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1924.746.1.a