id: 157141 accession number: 1993.39.1 share license status: CC0 url: https://clevelandart.org/art/1993.39.1 updated: 2022-01-04 17:13:26.085000 Folio from a Qur'an; right side of bifolio, 800s. North Africa, Aghlabid or Abbasid. Gold, ink and colors on parchment; overall: 26.7 x 36.3 cm (10 1/2 x 14 5/16 in.); folio: 36.3 cm (14 5/16 in.); text area: 22.8 x 30 cm (9 x 11 13/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, The Severance and Greta Millikin Purchase Fund 1993.39.1 title: Folio from a Qur'an; right side of bifolio title in original language: series: series in original language: creation date: 800s creation date earliest: 800 creation date latest: 899 current location: creditline: The Severance and Greta Millikin Purchase Fund copyright: --- culture: North Africa, Aghlabid or Abbasid technique: gold, ink and colors on parchment department: Islamic Art collection: Islamic Art type: Manuscript find spot: catalogue raisonne: --- CREATORS --- measurements: Overall: 26.7 x 36.3 cm (10 1/2 x 14 5/16 in.); Folio: 36.3 cm (14 5/16 in.); Text area: 22.8 x 30 cm (9 x 11 13/16 in.) state of the work: edition of the work: support materials: inscriptions: inscription: Sura al-Tur (52: part 37-49). Script: Kufic (fifteen lines to a page) translation: remark: --- CURRENT EXHIBITIONS --- LEGACY EXHIBITIONS --- PROVENANCE (Oliver Hoare Limited, London, UK, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art) date: ?-1993 footnotes: citations: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH date: 1993- footnotes: citations: --- fun fact: digital description: wall description: Because of its connection with the Qur'an, calligraphy was elevated above all other art forms in the Islamic world. From an awkward and nearly illegible form of writing, Arabic script was transformed during the 600s and 700s to make it worthy of recording the Divine word. By the 800s, Muslim scribes were producing copies of the Qur'an that were true calligraphic masterpieces. This Qur'an, written entirely in gold, exemplifies the angular form of writing known as Kufic at its majestic best. The text on the right page is the opening of the Chapter of the Star (53:1–21), which begins: “By the star when it plunges, your comrade is not astray, neither errs, nor speaks he out of caprice. This is naught but a revelation revealed, taught him by one terrible in power, very strong. . . . ” --- RELATED WORKS --- CITATIONS --- IMAGES web: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1993.39.1/1993.39.1_web.jpg print: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1993.39.1/1993.39.1_print.jpg full: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1993.39.1/1993.39.1_full.tif