id:			114266
accession number:	1933.493.b
share license status:	CC0
url:			https://clevelandart.org/art/1933.493.b
updated:		2023-08-29 11:33:49.914000

Folio from a Qur'an (verso), 800s. Probably Egypt, Abbasid period (750–1258). Opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on parchment; sheet: 23.7 x 33.7 cm (9 5/16 x 13 1/4 in.); text area: 18.5 x 25 cm (7 5/16 x 9 13/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Edward L. Whittemore Fund 1933.493.b

title:				Folio from a Qur'an (verso)
title in original language:	
series:				
series in original language:	
creation date:			800s
creation date earliest:		800
creation date latest:		899
current location:		
creditline:			Edward L. Whittemore Fund
copyright:			

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culture:	Probably Egypt, Abbasid period (750–1258)
technique:	Opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on parchment
department:	Islamic Art
collection:	Islamic Art
type:		Drawing
find spot:	
catalogue raisonne: 

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CREATORS

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measurements: Sheet: 23.7 x 33.7 cm (9 5/16 x 13 1/4 in.); Text area: 18.5 x 25 cm (7 5/16 x 9 13/16 in.)
state of the work:	
edition of the work: 	

support materials:


inscriptions:

	inscription:	Sura al-Saad (38: part 77-80). 
Script: Kufi (seven lines to a page)
	translation:	
	remark:		

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CURRENT EXHIBITIONS

	title:		Art: The International Language
	opening date:   1956-10-02T04:00:00
	<i>Art: The International Language</i>. The Cleveland Museum of Art (October 2-November 4, 1956).

	title:		Arts of Iran (Islamic art rotation)
	opening date:   2018-10-30T04:00:00
	<i>Arts of Iran (Islamic art rotation)</i>. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (October 30, 2018-October 28, 2019).

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LEGACY EXHIBITIONS

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PROVENANCE

	(Ananda K. Coomaraswamy [1877-1947] sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art)
	date: ?-1933
	footnotes: 	
	citations: 	


	The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
	date: 1933-
	footnotes: 	
	citations: 	


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fun fact:


digital description:


wall description:
The sacred book of Islam, the Qur'an is believed by Muslims to be a literal transcription of the word of God, spoken in Arabic to the Prophet Muhammad (died 632). In order to convey the importance of the divine word, Arabic calligraphy—sometimes highly elaborate and embellished with gold—was used to create copies of the Qur'an.<br><br>This folio was written in the oldest style of Arabic calligraphy, called Kufic script, used in earliest surviving copies of the Qur'an. The wide format of the page is well suited to this style of Kufic that has elongated, horizontal strokes. Vowels are indicated by red dots, and the triangles of gold dots mark the end of each verse.<br><br>The text on the recto recounts an argument between God and Lucifer. Proud Lucifer declares himself superior to humans because he was formed from fire, while humans were molded from clay. In the verses on the verso, God casts Lucifer out of heaven as punishment for his pride.
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RELATED WORKS

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CITATIONS

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IMAGES

web:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1933.493.b/1933.493.b_web.jpg
print:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1933.493.b/1933.493.b_print.jpg
full:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1933.493.b/1933.493.b_full.tif