Folio from a Qur'an

9th–10th century

Not on view

Returned to lender

This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.

Kufic script was popularly used in luxury Qur’ans throughout Islamic lands into the Abbasid period. The elegant balance of outsized script and expanses of blank spaces created harmonious designs, while the extravagant use of parchment and gold conveyed wealth and prestige. The later cursive inscription at the top of the folio states that the work was produced for a religious site outside Tyre and gives the name of the scribe.

Artwork Details

Overview

Exhibition History

Title: Folio from a Qur'an
Date: 9th–10th century
Geography: Made in Lebanon, Tyre
Medium: Dark brown and black inks, red pigment, and gold leaf on parchment
Dimensions: 7 1/2 x 10 1/16 in. (19.1 x 25.5 cm)
Classification: Manuscripts
Credit Line: Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Paris (Arabe 346), folio 13
Curatorial Department: Medieval Art and The Cloisters