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Source Description
The intricate sunburst pattern, or shamsa, embellished with gold and lapis lazuli, opens the story of Khusraw and Shirin, the second of the five poems of the Khamsa. The title of the book or chapter is often inscribed within the shamsa, but in this example, the illuminator, Husayn Naqqash, devoted the entire design to the display of exquisite, gem-like decoration. Hypnotic shamsa designs were a vehicle for master illuminators to display their virtuosity.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
20664
label
Illuminated Frontispiece from the Khamsa (Quintet) of Amir Khusraw Dihlavi
core
obj
dtoType
object
citationUrl
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
20664
contentType
object
stage
normalized
title
Illuminated Frontispiece from the Khamsa (Quintet) of Amir Khusraw Dihlavi
description
The intricate sunburst pattern, or shamsa, embellished with gold and lapis lazuli, opens the story of Khusraw and Shirin, the second of the five poems of the Khamsa. The title of the book or chapter is often inscribed within the shamsa, but in this example, the illuminator, Husayn Naqqash, devoted the entire design to the display of exquisite, gem-like decoration. Hypnotic shamsa designs were a vehicle for master illuminators to display their virtuosity.
provenance
Muhammad Zaki, 1241 AH/AD 1825-1826 [mode of acquisition unknown] [oval seal, fols. 1a, 211a]; 'abd al-raji Muhammad Shafi', 1247 AH/AD 1831-1832 [mode of acquisition unknown] [rectangular seal fols. 1a, 211a]; Muhammad 'Ali [date and mode of acquisition unknown] [large oval seal with no date on fol. 211a]; Henry Walters, Baltimore [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
date
1597-1598 (Mughal)
citationUrl
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
illuminated manuscripts
folios (leaves)
imageCount
1
pageCount
1
source
import
dimensions
units
cm
width
28.5
height
19
dimensionsRaw
H: 11 1/4 x W: 7 1/2 in. (28.5 x 19 cm)
Source extras
style
Mughal
dynasty
Mughal Dynasty
med
opaque watercolor, ink, and gold and on paper
creator_ids
18416
7404
7405
collection_ids
MSS
ISL
MIS
exhibition_ids
2664
3334
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
12939987081b1ef3