Folio from a Qur'an Manuscript

ca. 1250–1300
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 457
Qur'ans of the Maghreb or the Islamic west, including North Africa and Spain, diverged at an early date from the stream of developments further east. The preservation of a number of archaic calligraphic features derived from kufic and the use of parchment are typical of the region during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. Despite these archaizing features, the use of gold ink, the exaggerated curves of the letters below the baseline, and colorful diacritic marks lend the composition a striking rhythmic quality.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Folio from a Qur'an Manuscript
  • Date: ca. 1250–1300
  • Geography: Made in North Africa
  • Medium: Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on parchment
  • Dimensions: Page: H. 10 1/4 in. (8 9/16 cm)
    W. 8 9/16 in. (21.7 cm)
    Mat: H. 19 1/4 in. (48.9 cm)
    W. 14 1/4 in. (36.2 cm)
  • Classification: Codices
  • Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1937
  • Object Number: 37.21
  • Curatorial Department: Islamic Art

More Artwork

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.