Tooled and gilded leather, ink, colors, and gold on paperexpand_more
The Katherine Kitteredge McMillan Memorial Fundexpand_more 52.13
This complete and finely calligraphed, illuminated, and illustrated copy of the Baharistan, or Spring Garden, by the Persian poet Jami, was produced in 1551 for Sultan ‘Abd al-‘Aziz, khan of Bukhara. The opening pages are typical of the ornate chapter headings, embellished script, and marginal decorations that frequently graced the Qur’an, as well as literary classics. They demonstrate a highly developed sense of design and an extraordinary virtuosity in the application of colors and gold leaf. The double-page illustration presents the encounter of Alexander the Great and a philosopher who delivers advice to rulers, a theme that is the principal concern of this section of the text. The rich colors and firm draftsmanship are characteristic of the Bukhara school. The artist who executed it, Mahmud al-Muzahhib, signed the composition Mahmud “the gilder.”
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