A Question in Arab Painting: The Ibn Al-Sufi Manuscript in Tehran and Its Art-Historical

Connections
Author(s): Anna Contadini
Source: Muqarnas, Vol. 23 (2006), pp. 47-84
Published by: BRILL
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25482437
Accessed: 28-04-2015 21:38 UTC

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 ANNA CONTADINI

A QUESTION IN ARAB PAINTING: THE IBN AL-SUFI MANUSCRIPT

IN TEHRAN AND ITS ART-HISTORICAL CONNECTIONS

The manuscript of Ibn al-Sufi's Risalat al-Sufi fi Given the close

relationship
of the urjuza minia

'l-kawakib in the Reza Abbasi Museum in Tehran,1 tures to those in other manu
early-thirteenth-century
which has only quite recently come to the attention of scripts, we would expect the RAM Risalat al-Sufi fi
Western scholars, is of great importance
for the
study 'l-kawakib to be datable to ca. 1220-25. It is therefore
of early Arabic manuscript illustration. Specifically, its suprising that on page 4 we find an inscription giv
frontispieces and line drawings
of the constellations
ing a date of 554 (1159); were this the actual date of
close similarities with the the it would a drastic
present very frontispieces manuscript, require reappraisal
and miniatures of the Ibn Bakhtishuc Kitdb Nact al of currently accepted views on the chronology
of sty
in the British and other well-known listic evolution.
hayawan Library2
dated or datable to the thirteenth There are, however, reasons for it
manuscripts early good thinking
thus a welcome addition to a a later The first concerns its
century. They provide interpolation. position.
small but crucial of work, and add a further Most reliable dates occur as statements
body straightforward
element to the of the in written in the same hand as
significant comparative study manuscript colophons,
evolution of Arab the text. In this case the occurs,
painting. preceding inscription
Although
the
prime
concern here is with the art
unexpectedly and oddly, at the very beginning of the
historical issues raised by the illustrations of the Reza text, immediately following the basmala (fig. 2). (The
Abbasi Museum (henceforth RAM) manuscript, clarity colophon,
on
page 76, consists
only
of
blessings
and
that reference be made to textual evidence no information about scribe,
requires unfortunately provides
relevant to the
identity
of its author. date, or provenance [fig. 27].) The inscription also
The text is the poem that sometimes follows the odd in the context of the of the
appears partitions
major astronomical work of al-Sufi. the term text red lines. Within the same as the
Although by partition
is also used to describe it,3 it properly basmala, it two lines of text even it
qasida belongs requires though
to the of didactic used is written in smaller characters. Were one to assume
urjuza "genre"?a type poetry
for and mnemonic in a wide that itwas written with and in the
expository purposes contemporaneously
of technical fields, from mathematics and med same hand as the rest of the text, one would be enti
variety
icine to grammar,
history, and music.4 Although
the tled towonder why the scribe did not place itbeneath
Ibn al-Sufi follows the order of presentation of the basmala, in a for even
urjuza perhaps separate partition,
the al-Sufi text, it reflects al-Sufi's work in part. had he the basmala the space left after
only compressed
Not only does it ignore all the technical data, it also itwould not have been sufficient for the inscription
the "classical" of the constel to be on the same line and remain within
downplays description completed
lation instead on the Arab ele the frame.
figures, concentrating
ment. Nevertheless, the illustrations in the RAM However, it is clear that here, as elsewhere, the thin
urjuza
reflect the al-Sufi for red lines were added later, as is shown
manuscripts iconographically: partition by
example, following the Greek tradition, Cassiopeia is the fact that the two internal middle lines terminate
neatly (without having been rubbed off) to accommo
as a woman on a chair, even
portrayed though, apart
from an initial reference to dhat al-kursi, the date a later than the main
urjuza diagonal inscription, text,
text only deals with the Arab a female which gives the full name of the author (fig. 3). Ifwe
equivalent,
camel.5 visualize how the text would look without the parti

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 48 ANNA CONTADINI

Fig. 1. Opening page with title. From an Ibn al-Sufi Risdlat al-Sufi fi 'l-kawdkib,
ca. 1220-25, North Jazira(?). Tehran, Reza
Abbasi Museum, M. 570, page 1. (Photo: Anna Contadini, courtesy of the Reza Abbasi Museum, Tehran)

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 THE IBN AL-SUFI MANUSCRIPT IN TEHRAN AND ITS ART-HISTORICAL CONNECTIONS 49

JRl>A 1^#t*) *
mmmmmmmmm^mt
-
ft?* Il ^II ** * JW^*

<W 1fe^^ifel^rr
mmmmmmmmmmmyimm'W^^B'V *
T'-flWmfnl
"?
^^HHlXil mSS01 *R:^,i(^^<i%*^SP1Sp ^T HBxi

2. Opening text: RAM Ibn al-Sufi, page 4. (Photo: Anna Contadini, courtesy of the Reza Abbasi Museum, Tehran)
Fig.

Fig. 3. Detail of the added inscription with the date 554 (1159). RAM Ibn al-Sufi, page 4. (Photo: Anna Contadini, courtesy
of the Reza Abbasi Museum, Tehran)

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 50 ANNA CONTADINI

tions, the dimensions of the basmala cease to appear THE REZA ABBASI MUSEUM MANUSCRIPT
odd: there are in which it is not
many manuscripts
stretched to fill the line, and we need not assume that M. 570 is of small format, measuring
ca. 24 cm in
its length was determined by the need to accommo height x 16 cm inwidth. It has seventy-sixpages (thirty
date the inscription that follows it,which seems all eight leaves, or forty including flyleaves), with forty
the more to be a one constellation and two frontis
subsequent interpolation. drawings full-page
The second reason for doubting the inscription pieces. Page size is ca. 22.5 x 15.5 cm; the text block
concerns the
script
in which it is written. Close exam (framed) is about 18.5 x 12 cm; and the text has a
ination reveals that it is in a different hand from the maximum of eleven lines to the page, split into two
main text, and furthermore that the ink used to write columns ca. 18.5-19 x 5.2 cm. The bind
measuring
it is also different. 6This points strongly to its being a ing is of blind-tooled brown leather, with a round
later addition and further reinforces the conclusion medallion in themiddle and small corner decorations
that it was not conceived as
part of the dis contained within a border. The margins of
original geometric
position of the page. both
binding
and pages
are
damaged, and there are

The thirdpoint of contention is thewording: nasakha some

repairs.
The
script
is a neat, dark brown naskh.

minhu Abu 'l-Hasan cAli b. Ahmad ft

sanat arbac wa-khamsin The manuscript is paginated in Arabic numbers on
wa-khamsimi a. This, it is important to note at the out each folio side (for example, instead of lr and lv we
set, is not a standard copyist's formula, and, partly
in have 1 and 2), so that the numbers go up to 76. Titles
its is unclear. The and rubrics are in red ink.
consequence, precise import par
ticular difficulty concerns the inclusion of min. With On page 1 we find the title of the book, Risalat al
out it, the meaning would be "Abu 'l-Hasan cAli b. Sufi fi 'l-kawdkib,within a bracketed roundel (fig. 1).
Ahmad copied it (nasakhahu) in 554"; but with it the The title and roundel are in gold, and the roundel is
sense shifts, and two
possible interpretations might be framed by a blue line.
proposed: either "In 554 Abu 'l-Hasan cAlib. Ahmad On 4, after the two we find the
page frontispieces,

copied something from thismanuscript," or "In 554 beginning of the text (fig. 2), which opens with the
Abu 'l-Hasan cAlib. Ahmad made a copy of all or part basmala and, on the same line, the dated inscription.
of the same text." The text that follows is virtually identical with that of
Linguistically,
considered purely
as statements, these the 1954 Hyderabad edition,7 mentioning author and
two alternatives seem
equally plausible,
the suffix pro patron in lines 2-4:
noun
presumably referring in the first case to (hadhd)
al-makhtut or and in the second to al
hadhd maqalun li-Abi cAliyyl najli Abi Husaynin al-Sufiyyi
al-nass, (hadhd)
'l-nujumi wa 'l-aftaki ansha'ahu li-maliki 'l-amlaki
nass or al-maqal. Where they crucially differ is in their
fi sifati
li-maliki'l-ummati shahinshahi akhl 'l-macall fakhri dini 'llahi
temporal implications: according
to the first, if a fur
(Thisis a treatise by Abu cAli, the son of Abu Husayn al-Sufi,
ther copy was made in 554, the RAM manuscript itself
/ on the attributes of the stars and the heavenly spheres,
must itself date from 554 or earlier, whereas according which he composed for the king of kings, / ruler of the
to the second, 554 refers to an act of from
copying community, sovereign of sovereigns, endowed with nobil
which one can infer with to the date
nothing regard ity, Fakhr al-Din.)
of the RAM manuscript. As for the reason behind this
added comment, one in the first The full name of
the great astronomer and author of
might conjecture
case that Abu 'l-Hasan cAli b. Ahmad was the treatise to which the urjuza relates is Abu
sufficiently '1-Husayn
famous as a scholar or for the mention of his cAbd al-Rahman b. cUmar al-Sufi. Born in in
copyist Rayy
name, right at the beginning of the text, to lend pres 903, he died in Baghdad in 986, and itwas during his
tige to this manuscript and, by implication, validate time as tutor to the Buyid Sultan cAdud al-Dawla Fana
it as a faithful copy of the original. Rather more pro Khusraw (r. 949-83) that he wrote for him the Kitab
8
saic, but at the same time more likely,
is the suppo Suwar al-kawakib al-thabita, which dates from 965. As
sition, relating
second to the
interpretation,
that the to the identity of the author of the urjuza, there has
was added a librarian or later owner been some among scholars, the
inscription by disagreement despite
who wished to cross-reference a different
manuscript inference thatAbu Ali najl (metri causa for "ibn") Abi
in the same collection, dated 554, that contained all al-Sufi was the astronomer's son. Brockelmann9
Husayn
or
part of the same text. dismissed this identification, suggesting instead an Ibn

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 THE IBN AL-SUFI MANUSCRIPT IN TEHRAN AND ITS ART-HISTORICAL CONNECTIONS 51

al-Sufi who was a mathematician active in 1135-36 in Muhammad b. Yahyd b. Fadlallah al-khatib al-macruf bi

the service of the Artuqid ruler of Hisn Kaifa, Qara Khwurd(f) al-Muarrif
ser
(Fakhr al-Din, 11. 1143-44), with whom he
Arslan (One of the books of the feeble and wretched

the Fakhr al-Din mentioned in the vant who for

the mercy of his glorious Lord, /
equated poem.10 hopes
Muhammad b. Yahya b. Fadlallah, the preacher
However, in the 1125 al-Sufi manuscript now inQatar known
as Khwurd(?) al-Mucarrif.
(see endnote 3), the text of the poem is headed by
an inscription (folio 162r) stating that itwas written
by a son (walad) of al-Sufi, and later scholarship has
Two other in Persian, are found at the
inscriptions,
the same
preferred this identification.11 The colophon of the
bottom of page, in The owners
tacliq script.
Bodleian library copy, dated 400 (1009), of the main
to the same and their
belonged family, inscriptions
text al-Sufi names b. cAbd are to be dated, to Aziz-zada, to
astrological by al-Husayn possibly according
al-Rahman b. cUmar b. Muhammad as the scribe of the early fifteenth There are also three
century.17
the and this has been as the seal at the bottom, not
manuscript, interpreted impressions?two completely
legible, as the margin of the page is damaged, and
name of al-Sufi's son,12 while the present text includes
a later diagonal inscription added above li-Abi cAli (fig. another higher up on the left-hand side of the page.
3) that gives a fuller version of the alleged author's It is possible to establish that they contain ownership
name: Abu cAli al-Husayn b. Abi al-Husayn cAbd al without dates. Two
inscriptions, although unfortunately
Rahman b. cUmar al-Sufi.13 The 1125 Qatar more one a seal
manuscript such and the
inscriptions, impression
in a prose introduction
appears exceptional having other written in shikasta, are found on the last page
that mentions the father-son in other
relationship; of the manuscript, page 76, and possibly belong to
the RAM included, the evi
copies, manuscript only the late Safavid period (fig. 27).
dence is that provided by the line citing Abu cAlinajl
As a on the reveals, in the
it is considered an stamped inscription flyleaf
al-Husayn al-Sufi. Unless interpola nineteenth the was in the hands
century manuscript
tion, however, this identification is difficult to ignore,
of Fakhr al-Din Nasiri Amini, a collector and dealer
as meter and offer a certain defense
especially rhyme
of and was no. 156 in his After
Thus the son seems the most manuscripts, library.
against tampering.14
that, it passed to the Mahboubian also collec
likely authorial candidate. family,
tors and dealers of and the is in
the here more than one manuscripts, urjuza
Regarding patron, again
candidate has been for in of
fact mentioned in the catalogue produced by Mehdi
put forward, place Qara
Mahboubian in 1970. Mahboubian sold many items
Arslan, Aziz-zada suggests a double homage to Buyid
the title shahinshdh a reference to Fana toQueen Farah Diba for her royal collection, includ
amirs, being
Khusraw Abu cAdud al-Dawla we as
Shujac (the pupil and ing, may safely assume, this
manuscript,
the

of the astronomer al-Sufi), and Fakhr Din Queen eventually donated her collection of ancient
patron
Allah being his younger brother Fakhr al-Dawla Day and Islamic Iranian art to be
part of the Reza Abbasi
lami.15 This appears but
is unconvincing: Museum, established in 1976.
ingenious
the presence of macall between akh and the The has thus passed hands
following manuscript through many
name severs the connection. In addition, it would be before at the museum, and the of
arriving plausibility
most unusual to combine references to two
patrons, the inscription with the date having been added as
a curious
part of a library check is reinforced by the fact that
and it would be license that converts
poetic
Fakhr al-Dawla into Fakhr al-Din. (Furthermore, if there was
great interest in this classical text
obviously
we are to have a Fakhr al-Dawla, there is yet another the centuries, as demonstrated also the
throughout by
chronologically possible Buyid candidate, Fakhr al existence of a Qajar copy of the RAM manuscript. It
Dawla cAli.)16 is also when the
interesting, considering inscription,
and seals was
Inscriptions testify that the manuscript to note that the has been in other
manuscript ways
owned various individuals from the four
by private with" on different For exam
"tampered occasions.
teenth the nineteenth The oldest
through century. some
ple, diacritical marks have been added later, in
inscription, probably datable to the early fourteenth blacker some
ink, and of the letters have been re-out
century, is found on the title page, page 1 (fig. 1). In
lined: one instance of this is the first ha' of shdhinshdh,
Arabic, the substantive reads as follows:
part
in the shape of an 8, on page 4
(fig. 2). In the mar
min kutub al-cabd ila rahmat al there is a
al-dacif al-nahif al-raji gins Persian undated but
commentary,
malik al-majid /
certainly added later?sometime in the sixteenth or

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 52 ANNA CONTADINI

seventeenth century (or possibly later), judging from Library in Tehran.18 The manuscript now in the RAM
the
nastacliq script.
In addition, as stated above, the may have appealed to a Qajar patron or copyist because
thin red lines that frame the text are not original; it included illustrations of all the constellations, which
they were most probably added when the Persian is not often the case. The copy follows the text and
was written in the margins, as the red the of these illustrations and
commentary iconography very closely
ink in which are written is the same as that used reflects the state of the original to the
they manuscript prior
for the rubrics in the commentary but different from loss of some of its folios and the disruption of its order.
that of the rubrics of the main text. Further confir For the whole section of Lyra in cor
example, appears
mation is provided by the fact that in certain places rect sequence (on pages 12 and 13), while of the five
accommodate the Persian on
they commentary, e.g., constellation Perseus (Birshawush)
missing drawings,
pages 6, 16, 23 (fig. 14), and 48 (fig. 16), where is found in the Qajar copy on page 14, where it is
are either drawn at an or In
they angle interrupted.
represented with a rather dramatic picture (fig. 10
as also the two internal middle
left), and Aquarius occurs on page 27 (fig. 11)?evi
addition, mentioned,
lines on 4 are to accommo
page neatly interrupted dence that the folios these two miniatures
containing
date the later, diagonal inscription that gives the full were taken out of the manuscript after the copy was
name of the author Furthermore, the letters
(fig. 3). executed. The other three miniatures, however, are
various stars and the numbers that appear
alongside
missing from the copy, probably indicating that they
within the constellation titles are also later additions, were detached from the manuscript at some earlier
in the same red ink as the frames of the text.
again To the example of Hercules and
stage. judge by Orion,
The catchwords at the bottom left corner of the pages
the illustrations of which are now the
were as are in a darker ink and correctly placed,
also added later, they
a different hand. Qajar copyist had sufficient knowledge of both text
and iconography to rectify such blunders.
In one instance the has made a mistake
painter
A more intriguing case is presented by the illus
in the iconography of the constellations. The title of
tration of Andromeda. from the few cases, like
cald which on Apart
Hercules, al-Jathi rukbatayhi, appears
and Cancer, in which constellations are
rep
page 19, is followed (on the other side of the folio, Cygnus
resented as if seen from above and therefore do not
page 20) by a picture of Orion, while the picture of
have a "direction," the copies follow the draw
Hercules on 60, on 59, original
appears page preceded, by
Orion's titles, al-Jabbar/al-Jawza'. Elsewhere, incorrect ings in facing left. But in the depiction of Androm
result from the order of the folios
eda (fig. 19) the Qajar artist has reversed his draw
sequences having
a so that she now has the fish across her left arm
been disturbed. For and the end ing,
example, picture
of the text (two lines) of al-Sulyaq (Lyra) appears on and not, as in the RAM manuscript?in which the fish
is slightly effaced?across her right (fig. 20). In the
page 22, while the preceding text of Lyra, together
cannot
with the title, is to be found on page 61. Finally, at absence of outline marks, this be
explained
some were a num the reversal of a model, and an
stage after the catchwords added, simply by although
ber of folios were detached from the manuscript. The explanation is hard to come by, itmay be hypothe
section devoted to Perseus, with one miniature, should sized that it has something to do with the fact that in
come between 24 and 25 as are now num the al-Sufi treatises the constellations are rep
pages they usually

bered; missing between pages 56 and 57 are the con resented in

mirror-image pairs.19
The
Qajar copyist,
stellations Capricorn
and Aquarius and the
begin being familiar with this tradition, may in this instance
of Pisces not its picture, so two have the alternative view. In any case,
ning (but just images simply preferred
are lacking from this group); and between pages 63 the copyist appears to have had knowledge of both
and 64 should appear Canis Major and Canis Minor, text and images,
and this copy is valuable testimony
with their In all, then, five to a interest in classical scientific knowl
together pictures. pictures continuing
are
missing. edge in the Qajar period.
The two have the same number of
manuscripts
folios (38) and an almost identical format (RAM ca.
THE QAJARCOPY 24 x 16 cm; Majlis 25 x 16.5 cm); the drawings are
also similar in size Ursa Minor mea
very (for example,
As reported by Aziz-zada, a Qajar copy, dated 1312 sures 6 x 9.5 cm in the RAM original and 5.5 x 8.5
(1894), of the RAM Ibn al-Sufi is found in the Majlis cm in the Majlis copy). In the RAM manuscript the

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 THE IBN AL-SUFI MANUSCRIPT IN TEHRAN AND ITS ART-HISTORICAL CONNECTIONS 53

constellation have been drawn in a thin red emy rather than al-Sufi himself, the reference would
drawings
line before outlined in black ink, a feature com have to be not to the author of the present text, but
being
mon to but such to the astronomer. if it were
early-thirteenth-century manuscripts, tenth-century Similarly,
red outlines are not in the Qajar that the are al-Sufi,
preliminary present proposed figures represented
copy. In fact, the illustrator seems to have made who would have to be the older figure on the left,
Qajar
his freehand rather than by standard means of and his son, the author of the urjuza, we would
copies likely
mechanical transfer: in the Reza Abbasi Museum manu have to a of convention the
accept flouting whereby
reader of the book is not the author but the font of
script there is no trace of pricking or of the inden
tations left on the page by a sharp tracing tool such wisdom imparting knowledge to the (presumably pro
as are so often found around the of al-Sufi author.
drawings spective)
The likewise shows no Aziz-zada's other proposes that the
manuscripts. Qajar copy sign hypothesis figure
on the is the of al-Sufi, cAdud al-Dawla
of the outline of the drawings having being marked right patron
on to execution. (the earring would then later Persian
the page prefigure rep
prior
resentations of princes), and the figure on the left al
there are no in the
Unfortunately, frontispieces
and the is also unfinished to
Sufi himself, reading his text to his prince.22 This inter
Qajar copy, manuscript
accords with Aziz-zada's
the extent that the for certain titles, includ pretation partially proposal
spaces
one
that the dedicatory inscription in the text could be a
the at
ing the top of the first page, have been
double homage to Buyid amirs. In both cases the rep
left blank.
resentation is anachronistic, but for this there is the

possible defense that it is a deliberate attempt to give

THE CONNECTIONS WITH prestige to the book by affiliating itwith illustrious
EARLY-THIRTEENTH-CENTURY ARAB PAINTING personalities. But one could equally well propose a
non-anachronistic alternative, that the figure
namely,
on the left is the author of the and that on
The frontispieces of the RAM manuscript, on pages 2 urjuza,
the right his patron, the Fakhr al-Din referred to in
and 3 (fig. 4), each portray a figure sitting on a throne;
the text. Indeed, while the figure on the left is defi
the one on the an astrolabe
right holds and the other
a book. The
left-hand is white-bearded
nitely an old sage absorbed in his reading of a book,
figure and
the one on the conveys a irreverent atti
right slightly
wears a turban, while the dark-bearded one
opposite tude: he and looks at the astrolabe
sprawls curiously
wears what looks like a hairband and seems to
sport he is holding. Princely status is suggested, again,
an The rest of his costume
by
is similar to that
earring. his earring; and he has a golden bowl of fruit at his
of his on the left, however, and both have
companion feet, which also seems to be associated with author
haloes around their heads. The two face or
gold figures ity, whether intellectual
political.
For
example,
each other, the one on the left in profile and the the 1244 Dioscorides Khawass al-ashjar (The
Proper
other in view. ties of Plants) in Bologna has a
three-quarter
full-page miniature
About these Aziz-zada has advanced two of Dioscorides seated on a throne in the
figures, center, pick
ing a fruit from a gold bowl held by Aristotle, on the
to one, the on the
hypotheses. According figure right
could be the ancient whose star and in one of the Nact the figure
authority Ptolemy, left; frontispieces
table in his is the basis for al-Sufi's treatise, identifiable as the possible of the text is
Almagest patron again
and the white-bearded on the left the author seated on a throne and has a fruit-filled bowl
figure golden
of the book, it to But at his feet.23
reading Ptolemy.20 although
this conforms to the common of pre However, it is also to read the
representation perfectly possible
Islamic sages without turbans, it runs counter to the as a
frontispieces embodying general iconographic
usual hierarchy of authority coded by beard color. For theme, found in many scientific of the
manuscripts,
arabicized and a turban, "transmission of to this view
example, although wearing knowledge." According
Aristotle is
represented
in an al-Mubashshir Mukhtar al the figures do not need to be identified with any par
hikam wa-mahdsin al-kalim11 as a white-bearded ancient ticular serve, as a reminder
personage; they rather,
an astrolabe in front of a crowd of the of the of knowl
authority holding general concept importance
of students with books (fig. 8). Moreover, unless the of how it is from teacher to student,
edge, imparted
author of a work derived from al-Sufi's treatise could and, perhaps, of the vital role of the book itself as a
be to seek the of Ptol record of the successful of this task.
reasonably expected approval completion

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 54 ANNA CONTADINI

IIHBHH^' ^^g^:''iv JBHB

4. Frontispieces. RAM Ibn al-Sufi, pages 2-3. (Photo: Anna Contadini, courtesy of the Reza Abbasi Museum, Tehran)
Fig.

In terms, the two are similar vine scrolls. The arches at the cor
iconographical frontispieces by very top
similar to two of the four in the Nact, those on ners are also similar architectonic references, while
very
folios 3v and 4r (figs. 9a and 9b), which also depict two the textile
designs
in the Tehran
manuscripts?for
enthroned figures, the one on the left turned slightly example,
the checkered pattern of the two throne

towards the other, who, in frontal each with a row of roundels near the
position, represents carpets, gold
There are similarities between border?are identical to those in the Nact
royal authority. striking practically
the thrones, which have high, decorated backs with frontispieces. Furthermore, the clothing type?long

slightly flared shoulders, thicklymolded legs, and seats tunics with white, baggy
trousers underneath?is iden

covered with inward-folded corners, on tical in the two as is the tunic decora
by carpets top manuscripts,
of which are cushions. The RAM frontispieces each tion and rendering of folds: in these details one may
have as background a gold canopy patterned with blue compare the RAM figures not only to two of theNa't
vine scrolls, which descends from the ceiling and wid
frontispieces already mentioned (folios 3v and 4r), but
ens to cover the back of the throne. Although the two also to the figures on folios lOlv and 96r in the Nact
aforementioned frontispieces in theNact (folios 3v and (figs. 5, 6). In addition, the pseudo-calligraphic tiraz
4r) have solid gold backgrounds, the other two (those bands represented on folio lOlv are identical with
on folios 2v and 3r) have gold backgrounds covered those of various constellation figures
in the urjuza,

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 THE IBN AL-SUFI MANUSCRIPT IN TEHRAN AND ITS ART-HISTORICAL CONNECTIONS 55

* i
Itf"VKffi Jt
imtfli
Wmmw "iimmlmmmmmmmmmmi

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmM^l^mmmmmmmmmmmml

and a pupil. From an Ibn Bakhtishuc Kitab 6. Aristotle and a British folio 96r.
Fig. 5. Ibn Bakhtishuc Fig. pupil. Library iWf,
Nact al-hayawdn, ca. 1220-25, North Jazira (?). London, British (Photo ? theBritish Library)
Library, Or. 2784, folio lOlv. (Photo ? the British Library)

for example, those on pages 12, 24 (fig. 26, Cassio to the constellation Leo on page 49 (fig. 16) and, for
peia), 37 (fig. 20 left,Andromeda), and 72 (fig. 22, the face, Delphinus on page 32 (fig. 18) in the urjuza.
Centaurus with Lupus). With regard to posture and In
general,
the animals' bodies are treated in a very

facial traits, the figure on the left in the RAM fron similar manner: they
are rather large
and
fleshy,
with

tispieces
has a marked resemblance to the one also curved lines to mark the folds of the skin, as in the
on the left in the miniature of Ibn Bakhtishuc and a constellations of Ursa Minor on page 5 (fig. 12) and
student on folio lOlv (fig. 5). Finally, one may note the bear in the Nact on folio I74v (fig. 13); Centau
that the position and nature of the bowl of fruit in rus with Lupus on page 72 (fig. 22) and the onager
the right-hand frontispiece is identical to that on Nact on folio 151v (fig. 23); Aries on page 41 and the ram
folio 4r (fig. 9b). on folio lllv; Cygnus on page 23 (fig. 14) and one
Other striking similarities are apparent in the depic of the domestic pigeons, second from the right in
tion of animals, for
example,
the lions and the
leopard
the upper row on folio 14r (fig. 15); Pisces on page
on Nact folios 208r (fig. 17) and lOOv, as compared 57 (fig. 24 left) and the mullet on folio 74v (fig. 25);

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 56 ANNA CONTADINI

... _ _
^H^^^H^;

a a Dioscorides Khawdss North Freer

Fig. 7. Erasistratos and pupil. From al-ashjdr, dated 621 (1224), Jazira(?). Washington,
Gallery of Art, F1947.5. (Photo: courtesy of the Freer Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC)

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 THE IBN AL-SUFI MANUSCRIPT IN TEHRAN AND ITS ART-HISTORICAL CONNECTIONS 57

8. Aristotle, an astrolabe, and students. From an al-Mubashshir, Mukhtar al-hikam wa-mahdsin al-kalim, (?),
Fig. holding Syria
thirteenth century. Istanbul, Sarayi Library, Ahmet III, 3206, folio 90r. (Photo: Anna Contadini, courtesy of
early Topkapi
the Topkapi Sarayi Library, Istanbul)

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 58 ANNA CONTADINI

^? :im............HGm^.......H........
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmK?mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmRj^
MlHl^mmmmmmmmmmmmmmml

.
^^^^^^^^ -B^^3^m^mmmmmmmm^v
^ 9^H^^^^HSBBi^Q^^Rr*' ^Qmm^Smm
^mKmmmmmmHmE^mmmmmm

Figs. 9a (right) and 9b (left). Double-page frontispiece from the British Library Nact, folios 3v and 4r. (Photo ? the British

Library)

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 THE IBN AL-SUFI MANUSCRIPT IN TEHRAN AND ITS ART-HISTORICAL CONNECTIONS 59

^^^^ Ib1 ~mBBm^^^^^^^BBBEL*' WI"* >h^I I

Br ^ i>r< *?^iH J^^BI^^B^SBBkS!^^^^^ ^,,^!iBiKB

^Bz *# X^pr^^M ^<? <BB^^^B^BB^^B^ElftMHig^ ^ "^ iHB

^^^^^B^^BJI^^^BB^^^B^^HI^^^Hl^^^^l^Rlffi^B^lli^^^l^^H

BBBBBBBB?i?H&BBffiBHBBBBBBBP
^jBtwM^Hufc^ 'j JftBBBV9^BKiLSf3?00^B.s^Bj^bHbbHHMbN

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^B^^9^HaEB^^dta2?wl^BflBvj9K fcB^^3B^^H^BKff!%B^B^? JS^B^B^B^B^B^^jPI^B^bY* s

BBBBBBBfl^BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBflBBBBBB^BBBBBBl^BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBri

bbbbbbbbbbBb^I^bw!<i'. '^^ffinflP^BB^^^BlBMlBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBIri

bbbbbbbHL*
^^^^^^^^^^Hg^/k.
mw# JbYbIbbbbbBBI
v^ .^?SBhb1bbBBPEIjbbbbbbbbb^Hbbb
bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbB!!^'
BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBHckfc*** lfcjp? . T^^^Vm/^^^^HHK^n
m ;i^B,n?f,e * ^KbbbbKSFIHjbwI^
A..Z? iJBBBBBw' . BBBBBMMf J l^fri^
^BSBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBEb* gffi***--*

BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB^bBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBbV^/^
^ ^ flBB^B^jL

^ BBBBlBP^BI^^WiBiBBHSBBHfci _7."\..>,^.- - :^.^.__

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 60 ANNA CONTADINI

*?*#** ?^^&&
PftjfcmiL --Hi

Fig. 10. Cassiopeia (right) and Perseus (left). From a Qajar copy of the RAM Ibn al-Sufi, dated 1312 (1894). Tehran, Majlis
no. 5099, 14. (Photo:
Library, page courtesy of the Majlis Library, Tehran)

and the wing of Pegasus on page 36 (fig. 20 right) and working

in the same atelier, or both. Also conso

that of the unicorn on folio 197v (fig. 21). nant with such a conclusion is the similarity between
Another
striking feature that relates
the urjuza draw the script of the RAM manuscript and that of the
to is the Nact. the delineation of a historical
ings thirteenth-century manuscripts already Unfortunately,
mentioned red outlines of the constellations, which of naskh, of the
style-map especially early periods,24
have been drawn over in black ink. This is typical of still lies in the future. We lack adequate criteria for
Arab but less so of a in time and with
early-thirteenth-century painting, situating manuscript place any
al-Sufi manuscripts (even if they belong to the thir accuracy on the basis of its
script; indeed, we even

teenth
century),
which more often have incised out lack a sufficiently objective conventional vocabulary to
lines, a feature absent from the RAM (and, define features for But
manuscript script comparative purposes.

incidentally, from the Majlis Library copy). despite

this situation, we can still
reasonably
claim
These close resemblances if not that the a broad resemblance the of
suggest, family among scripts
same artist worked on both the RAM Ibn al-Sufi and the various
manuscripts of this group, and
especially
the Na't, then that the two were illus similarities between these two in
manuscripts strong manuscripts
trated artists in a or
by master-pupil relationship, particular.

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 THE IBN AL-SUFI MANUSCRIPT IN TEHRAN AND ITS ART-HISTORICAL CONNECTIONS 61

>
1|!III^.../w\;chiw ^m^msl

Fig. 11. Aquarius. Majlis Library Qajar copy, page 27. (Photo: courtesy of the Majlis Tehran)
Library,

Because of these various the conclusion is tion to the we can

parallels thirteenth-century group, logically
virtually inescapable that the RAM Ibn al-Sufi forms assign it a date close to that of theNact. On the basis
part of a strongly profiled group of early-thirteenth of stylistic similarities with other dated manuscripts,
century manuscripts, and if, in the light of the dated in particular the above-mentioned 1224 Dioscorides
inscription, further argument is needed, one need
(fig. 7)26 and Christian Syriac manuscripts?espe
only point to the absence of such parallels with the cially the 1220 Gospel book in the Vatican Library,
surviving illustrated manuscripts of the twelfth cen produced in the monastery of Mar Mattai,27 and the
tury, including
al-Sufi
manuscripts. Those that were 1216-20 Gospel book in the British Library, most prob
made close to 1159, whether from an Zan also in Mar Mattai28?the Nact can be
Artuqid, ably produced
gid, Abbasid, or Fatimid environment, all exhibit a confidently assigned to around 1220-25.29 Given the
different style of depicting human figures, and the extremely strong iconographical and
stylistic
similar
line
drawings
in the al-Sufi and
urjuza manuscripts
ities between it and the RAM manuscript, it is logi
from this period also differ in style from those in the cal to suppose that the latter, too, was
produced
at
RAM that time.
urjuza.25
the RAM as a further addi The other members of the consist of two
Accepting manuscript group

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 62 ANNA CONTADINI
"**?**>"top
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K^BBBBBBBBW^B ^S^^' ..!'V ***^

BflBBBBBBBKBB^Bf^^^i

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'
bbv^bbbbbbbbbbbbb^^w^Sbbbw^^P^^^^^ l/i~
ah
^B^bbbbbbbbbbbbbbb^^^bbBbwb^v^^^^^^
bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbYBbBBBIbbBbSc 5 ~$J?"
BMBMBMBMBMBMBSBMBflBMBMBMBJp^> ?8|L/ t# */
-??*^&?*''>7
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? *^?#1^?^v
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L'
WBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBHBK^'^n^Fy^

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^^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^B^BMsJil^ffiiBwBMBJR^^ J^h^^t

^B^BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBl^^B^^^^rA
BBvBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB^^KSB^IBKkl ^<*imii? 'ii
w/
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iBllil?A
'
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bHbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbHHK> IhPPl*^f'

~"'-
II^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^B^ninSiPYSS&^i*7,

r
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^BBS3BBkI^/4??i?W(*'
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H^BBBRrTv^ '9
<B
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^B^B^^P^i\ ^ jfe* * IB
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^BflBB6B?teiw^ii-' ,tii^H
y ikTJfcf

' ' **
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^B^^^^BSIf^W1'' -'HH^^H

12. Ursa Minor. RAM Ibn al-Sufi, page 5. (Photo: Anna Contadini, courtesy of the Reza Abbasi Museum, Tehran)
Fig.

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 THE IBN AL-SUFI MANUSCRIPT IN TEHRAN AND ITS ART-HISTORICAL CONNECTIONS 63

Fig. 13. Bear. British Library Nact, folio 174v. (Photo ? the British Library)

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 64 ANNA CONTADINI

.~
W&4~ Tsszs

|By4 .? ),,,?

BBHy?t/~' > -'

''
^Bh^Ti^

""'^
^^^^BhISLj^

BBHHH^^Bk^ *c

Fig. 14. Cygnus. RAM Ibn al-Sufi, page 23. (Photo: Anna Contadini, courtesy of the Reza Abbasi Museum, Tehran)

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 THE IBN AL-SUFI MANUSCRIPT IN TEHRAN AND ITS ART-HISTORICAL CONNECTIONS 65

> . ^ i

^H^BHw^^^^^^H^^^^^^^^^^^^^Ebt ?>Sv^flBS&HF^^ ^Bl^^^^^^ft *B

* '
*^$?iifW- ^J^^^^^^^^^BIBk jI^^^^^Bu ,^^^^^^^^BH?iil^?^^^H

" *
'C^^^?- >
#''" <fB
^^^^^^^^JBBMK&/("r *"* tv^'WpH^^'
j*^8B^iP*>
,. ,*o$ ~3H
^^B^^BBB^m^g^B^^.^ v^St "i^f <^i&

^^^^^^^^^^^^^B^^I^^flBkvsBN^^^Hyi^W'^^^^10^/^^ il <J5^I di 1

15. Domestic British Library Nact, folio 14r. (Photo ? the British Library)
Fig. pigeons.

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 66 ANNA CONTADINI

Ski ^^r^^K ^B^^^^v*.r^SB^^^^^^^H

Fig. 16. Leo. RAM Ibn al-Sufi, pages 48-49. (Photo: Anna Contadini, of the Reza Abbasi Museum, Tehran)
courtesy

manuscripts of theMaqamat, one dated 634 (1237) tal

city. Because of the close resemblances between
and another, now in St. that resem it and the St. the latter is also
Petersburg, closely Petersburg Maqamat,
bles it (figs. 28, 29).30 The latter is unfortunately usually thought to have been produced in Baghdad.
undated, but it is reasonable to assume that it is the But other in the
manuscripts early-thirteenth-century
earlier of the two, its miniatures have a different the Mar Mattai
showing experimen group provenance:
tal features that are then handled more confidently in Gospel book was produced in the monastery of Mar
the 1237 manuscript. Accordingly, ithas been assigned Mattai near Mosul; for various reasons the Nat too
to ca. 1230-35.31 can be attributed to a North envi
confidently Jaziran
As for provenance, the 1237 Maqamat is usually ronment to which the 1224 Dioscorides, because of
attributed to Baghdad, on the rather dubious grounds its strong similarities to the Nat, can be
reasonably
that its
compiler
and
painter has the nisba al-Wa
assigned as well. Thus, although the possibility of a
siti, on which basis he is assumed to have worked Baghdad provenance cannot be
completely excluded
in
Baghdad.32
The case is
strengthened somewhat, for the Reza Abbasi Museum urjuza, it is clear that the
however, the of the miniatures in close of its visual
by sumptuousness particularly relationship components
this manuscript and the high quality of its calligra with those of theNact point to the greater likelihood
which are consonant with a commission of a center of in the North
phy, royal production Jazira, proba
and increase the likelihood of production in a capi bly in the Mosul region.

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 THE IBN AL-SUFI MANUSCRIPT IN TEHRAN AND ITS ART-HISTORICAL CONNECTIONS 67

'
'
RIB &**?**- f^IB
BIB *te? ^ j. -fjB

BUB ^ ig^Hk 4 litmr

& '^B

B^^^^BB^^^^^^^^^^RF^.JIj^^^^^^^BB^^^^^^^^Bb^^B
BH^H^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Bkk'' .JiiPjflHB^^^B^IRP*^i^^^^^^^^^^^^^^BI^B

*
B^^^Bffff^mnliHr^TTillBB^^^^^B^^^BWMtBBHBttM^B^^Iff;"^-aBBS^^l ^ J^^. jl *^w \2k:aa'*''^^I

' *
^^^^H^^^^^^^^^^^^BB|^^^B?^iP!$^*-' * * i^tst \* <f^B
Bfl^B^^^^^^^^B^^^H^HBfiP*i!f/i , iH v^

9^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^B^Hp|||p .v\v2<-- . &|iffl

HHIHiHHiHHHilllilHIHHI^Bi^i^KV^ *^^B

Fig. 17. Lions. British Library Nact, folio 208r. (Photo ? the British Library)

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 68 ANNA CONTADINI

' ' ' ii -

'5?r/ ; \"toL J
^?i ^jHH

Fig. 18. Delphinus. RAM Ibn al-Sufi, page 32. (Photo: Anna Contadini, courtesy of the Reza Abbasi Museum, Tehran)

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 THE IBN AL-SUFI MANUSCRIPT IN TEHRAN AND ITS ART-HISTORICAL CONNECTIONS 69

-
f>$t fcfr /***V tfwft

U 4*^ "^^ III

III JOT.,-.;
t^siii

&$*& _^^ frflff

HiHK

Fig. 19. Andromeda and Bootes (left). Majlis Library Qajar copy, page 10. (Photo: courtesy of the Majlis Library,
(right)
Tehran)

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 70 ANNA CONTADINI

Fig. 20. Pegasus (right) and Andromeda (left). RAM Ibn al-Sufi, pages 36-37. (Photo: Anna Contadini, courtesy of the Reza
Abbasi Museum, Tehran)

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 THE IBN AL-SUFI MANUSCRIPT IN TEHRAN AND ITS ART-HISTORICAL CONNECTIONS 71

iBb J^^^^^^^^HBI^^If
*
liitSW^^^^B^^^B^Br

' _f-'^
^pB^HIi^Bl^^^^^^^^^^^^m
% ^^^^B^^^^^s^^^^^^^^^^^^^^BB^I^^f
^^^^B^^^^^^^B^^^^^^B^^^^^H^^^^^B^^ >

^' -
JBi **<J5r> ^^^Bi^fc.

-
\--

Fig. 21. Unicorn. British Library Na't, folio 197v. (Photo ? the British Library)

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 72 ANNA CONTADINI

^H^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^I^K^9B[^^BI^BHBHBi^HRiKEH^^^^HH^^^^^^^^BIBiB^^^B^^^^I^BfasSB^"43^^B<
W*
J^^^^^^^^^IBHBuf^^^^^B^nl^^^B^^^^^^ll^^^^HlHP^^P^lHi
I ^^^^^^^^^^^BsB^^^^BmiMS
-jS^^^H^^^^^^^^^^^^^BI^bBI^IBHhIII
I ^^^^^^^^^BBBBJJBBPBil^f^''
#?pBI^B^I^^^^^^^^BiWi^^BT^^ffPBBB

B1^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^B^^^^^^^^BB|||^^B|BB
k P^^^^^^^^^^^HHI^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Bil^^^B'

-
^B fn||^^^^^^^^^^^^^^B^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^B^^^^^^^B|
H ^itj^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^B^^^^^ll

Fig. 22. Centaurus with Lupus. RAM Ibn al-Sufi, page 72. (Photo: Anna Contadini, courtesy of the Reza Abbasi Museum,
Tehran)

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 THE IBN AL-SUFI MANUSCRIPT IN TEHRAN AND ITS ART-HISTORICAL CONNECTIONS 73

Fig. 23. Onager. British Library Na't, folio 151v. (Photo ? the British Library)

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 74 ANNA CONTADINI

'*' "^?:?"?~:
? ^??**r*^"*""ir"? ^w^ L*iif^ ? ^ijbbibbni^^

^ra||;-\ A. . T ^ffi^Mft jHra*^*- 'ti^^B* ' '^jjH^^B^BBBB^B^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^g'

^^^^BBvBHIw^ii^^^^^^B^^h^^^^BB^^^^^^^^^^^I^B^^^H^H^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^B

Fig. 24. Sagittarius (right) and Pisces (left). RAM Ibn al-Sufi, pages 56-57. (Photo: Anna Contadini, courtesy of the Reza
Abbasi Museum, Tehran)

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 THE IBN AL-SUFI MANUSCRIPT IN TEHRAN AND ITS ART-HISTORICAL CONNECTIONS 75

Fig. 25. Mullet. British Library Nat, folio 74v. (Photo ? the British Library)

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 76 ANNA CONTADINI

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^BB^ii^3Kl. JSBBfl dWHWB trv

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^BB^^KlJffiB^K^#^B^w^^%>'^^ ^

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26. Cassiopeia. RAM Ibn al-Sufi, page 24. (Photo: Anna Contadini, courtesy of the Reza Abbasi Museum, Tehran)
Fig.

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 THE IBN AL-SUFI MANUSCRIPT IN TEHRAN AND ITS ART-HISTORICAL CONNECTIONS 77

Fig. 27. Colophon. RAM Ibn al-Sufi, page 76. (Photo: Anna Contadini, courtesy of the Reza Abbasi Museum, Tehran)

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 78 ANNA CONTADINI

* -
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u^ *
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? /^ . /
s^H|^^^HH^^^HB^HB|^^^^^^^^^9KpK^^^^?3^

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Fig. 28. Abu Zayd before the governor of Rahba. Al-Hariri, Maqdmdt, dated 634 (1237), probably Baghdad. Paris, Bibliotheque
nationale de France, ms. arabe 5847, folio 26r. (Photo ? the Bibliotheque nationale de France)

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 THE IBN AL-SUFI MANUSCRIPT IN TEHRAN AND ITS ART-HISTORICAL CONNECTIONS 79

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' ^^ **" ^^^^^
vjssb^^^^^^^^^^^b
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' ; n iinxif,
^SVE^^BBBH^^^^^p^^P^^S^ff ^^yllB^^^^B

case of the lost mount. ca. 1225-30, St. Petersburg, of Sciences,

Fig. 29. The Al-Hariri, Maqamat, probably Baghdad. Academy
ms. S 23, page 288 (folio 145r). (After Petrosyan, ed., De a 126)
Bagdad Ispahan,

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 80 ANNA CONTADINI

APPENDIX *30.
al-Jady (Capricornus), missing section and draw

ing
CONTENTS AND ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE REZA *31. al-Dalw/Sdkib (Aquarius), missing section and
ABBASI MUSEUM IBNAL-SUFI URJUZA drawing
32. (Pisces), of sec
al-Hut/al-Samakatayn missing part
Numbers refer to the pages
on which illustrations tion, but drawing on 57
occur. Asterisks indicate or 33. Qitus (Cetus), 58
missing drawings texts,
as
34. al-Jabbdr/al-Jawza (Orion, but with picture of Her
specified.
cules instead of Orion, who is depicted on 20), 60;
followed by al-Sulyaq (Lyra), title and five lines of text,
Frontispiece, 2
61. The and the continuation of the text are
3 picture
Frontispiece,
found on 22.
1. al-Dubb (Ursa Minor), 5
al-asghar
35. al-Nahr (Eridanus), 62
2. al-Dubb al-akbar (Ursa Major), 6
36. al-Arnab (Lepus), 63
3. al-Tinnin (Draco), 11
*37. al-Kalb al-akbar (Canis Major), title and one line
4. Qayqawus (Cepheus), 14
of text, but the rest of the section and are
drawing
5. al-Awwa (Bootes), 16
missing
6. al-Iklll al-shimdli/al-Fakka (Corona Borealis), 19
*38. al-Kalb (Canis Minor), section
al-asghar missing
7. al-Jdthi cald rukbatayhi (Hercules, but with picture and drawing
of Orion instead of Hercules, who is depicted on 60), 39. al-Safina (Argo Navis), 64
20 40. al-Shuja (Hydra), 66
8. or or Tor
al-Sulyaq (or al-Shulyaq al-Sulahfah) (Lyra 41. al-Batiya (Crater), 70
toise), picture and end of text (two lines), 22. The 42. al-Ghurab (Corvus), 71
preceding text and title are to be found on 61. The 43.
Qanturis wa-Sabc (Centaurus and
Lupus), 72
whole section in the right sequence and with the right 44. al-Mijmara (Ara), 73
pictures is found in the Qajar copy, 12-13. 45. al-Iklil al-janubi (Corona Australis), 74
9. al-Tair/al-Dajjdja (Cygnus), 23 46. al-Hut al-janubl (Piscis Austrinus), 75
10. Dhdt al-kursi (Cassiopeia), 24
*11. Birshawush (Perseus), missing beginning of sec
tion and drawing, but end of the text (ten lines) is NOTES
found on 25
12. al- Ayyuq/Mumsik al-acinna (Auriga), 26 Author's note: I should like to thank the Faculty of Arts and Human

wa ities of SO ASfor sponsoring my trip to Tehran to study the manu

13. al-Hawwa and
'l-Hayya (Serpentarius Serpens),
29 scripts there. I am very grateful toMrs. Batool Ahmadi, the Direc
tor of the Reza Abbasi Museum, who gave me permission to study
14. al-Sahm (Sagitta), 30 the Ibn al-Sufi manuscript, and to Ms. Tayebeh Ghodratabady,
15. al-Uqab (Aquila), 31 curator, for her kind help. I should also like to thank my friends
Abdullah Gouchani and Sheila Canby (who was
al-Dulfin (Delphinus), 32
16. and colleagues
on this trip) for looking at the Ibn al-Sufi manu
17. Qafat al-faras (Equuleus), 33 my companion
are
script with me and for their insightful comments. Thanks
18. al-Faras al-aczam 36
(Pegasus), also due to Abdolhamid Keshmirshekan, who helped at an ini
19. al-Musalsala (Andromeda), 37 tial stage of the investigation on the RAM manuscript. I am also
20. al-Muthallath (Triangulum), 38 grateful to the Director of the Majlis Library in Tehran, Hojja
tol Eslam Abhari, and the Keeper of Manuscripts, Prof. Abdul
21. al-Hamal (Aries), 41
Husseyn Haeri, for permission and help in studying the Qajar
22. al-Thawr (Taurus), 43 Saeli was very kind in guiding me through the var
copy. Majid
23. al-Jawza (Gemini), 45 ious sections of the Majlis Library, and Fariba Afkari prepared
24. al-Saratan (Cancer), 46 the way. My thanks are also due to Rebecca Foote, who gave me
access to the al-Sufi manuscript of the National Museum inQatar.
25. al-Asad (Leo), 49
I am also grateful to Prof. Abdel Haleem, of SOAS, for discuss
26. al-Sunbula (Virgo), 50 me and Alexan
ing with the date found in the RAM manuscript,
27. al-Mizan (Libra), 52 der Morton, who discussed with me
the date, commentary, and
28. al-Aqrab (Scorpius), 54 seal impressions in the same manuscript. Prof. Charles Burnett,

29. al-Qaws (Sagittarius), 56 of theWarburg Institute, kindly read a draft of this article, and I

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 THE IBN AL-SUFI MANUSCRIPT IN TEHRAN AND ITS ART-HISTORICAL CONNECTIONS 81

am grateful for his helpful comments. For the other manuscripts also appears in the 519 (1125) manuscript now in the col
mentioned in the article, both in the main text and the notes, I lection of the National Museum of Qatar, MI-02-98-80, which
should like to thank again the British Library, the Freer Gallery consists of the Kitdb Suwar al-kawdkib al-thdbita with the urjuza
of Art inWashington, the Bibliotheque nationale de France, the following it. See Sotheby's, Oriental Manuscripts and Minia
and the Topkapi Sarayi Library in Istanbul, tures (London, sale LN8256, Apr. 29, 1998), lot 34, 32-48 (a
Suleymaniye Library
the Bodleian Library in Oxford, the Staatsbibliothekin Berlin, long and comprehensive entry by D. A King, B. Brend, and
and the Vatican Library. R. Hillenbrand). The title page of the urjuza (foi. 162r) reads
1. Tehran, Reza Abbasi Museum, M. 570. For this manuscript, hadhihi qasida qalaha walad Abi 'l-Husayn / al-Sufi nazamafiha
see M. Mahboubian, Treasures of Persian Art after Islam: The ma natharahu abuhu li-yashal / 'aid man ramahu
hifz dhalika
Mahboubian Collection (New York, 1970), introduction and no. ("this qasida has been composed by the
son of Abu' 1-Husayn
913, where a brief description and a list of the miniatures are al-Sufi, who has put into verse what his father had written in
so that for those who wish
provided and five images are reproduced in black and white. prose, it should be easier to mem
The manuscript has been the subject of a general article by orize"). Moya Carey has written an entry on thismanuscript
G. Aziz-zada, va Risalat al-Sufi fi '1-kawakib," Muzih for a forthcoming of the collection of the Qatar
"Urjuza catalogue
ha 31 [n.p., 10], 1381/2002): 12-14 (Persian text), where a museum.
more detailed description and a discussion of the date, author, 4. For the urjuza genre, see M. Ullmann, Untersuchungen
and patron of the manuscript are found. A number of color zur (Wiesbaden, 1966), especially 56-57, and
Ragazpoesie
are published
images from this manuscript with discursive G. Endress, "Das Lehrgedicht." in H. Gatje, ed., Grundriss

captions in N. Pourjavady,
ed., The Splendour of Iran, 3 vols. der arabischen Philologie, Band II: Literaturwissenschaft (Wies
(London: Booth-Clibborn Editions, 2001), vol. 3, 267-73. baden, 1987), 471-73, where these authors have indicated
(This reference was brought to my attention by Moya Carey the range of subject matter on which urjuzas are written. See
while she was my research assistant; for her work on al-Sufi s.v. "Radjaz,"
also W. Heinrichs, Encyclopaedia of Islam, new
manuscripts, see notes 3 and 8, below. She has also started ed. (Leiden: Brill, 1960-2004) (henceforth EI2). For a music
building up research material on the Ibn al-Sufi tradition.) urjuza, see al-Khatib al-Irbill, "Jawahir al-nizam fimacrifat al
Although the captions of the Pourjavady book carry a gen angham, dated 729/1328," in al-Mashriq 16, 1913: 895-901.
eral attribution of the manuscript to the twelfth century, one For didactic poetry in both Arabic and Latin literature, see
of them (269), which accompanies a of one of C. Burnett, "Learned Knowledge of Arabic Poetry, Rhymed
reproduction
the frontispieces, a portrait said to be of al-Sufi, describes Prose, and Didactic Verse from Petrus Alfonsi to Petrarch,"
the figure's profile as being "characteristic of the 'Baghdad in J. Marenbon, ed., Poetry and Philosophy in theMiddle Ages:
School' of the early 13th century." A Festschriftfor Peter Dronke (Leiden: Brill, 2001), 29-62, espe
2. British Library, Or. 2784. For this see A. Con
manuscript, cially 42-47.
tadini, "The Kitab Nact al-Hayawdn (Book on the Charac 5. There seems to be no tradition of
illustrating exclusively the
teristics of Animals, British Library, Or. 2784) and the Tbn Arab forms of the constellations, although in cases
exceptional
Bakhtishuc' Illustrated Bestiaries" (PhD thesis, SOAS, Uni the Greek and the Arab forms are conflated in miniatures.
versity of London, 1992) and, further, K. Holter, "Die isla For example, in the 1171 al-Sufi manuscript in the Bodleian
mischen Miniaturhandschriften vor
1350," Zentralblatt fur Library, Ms. Hunt 212, foi. 40v, we find a picture of Cassio
Bibliothekswesen 54, 1-2 (1937): 1-34, 14, no. 33 (where the peia
as a woman seated on a chair and a camel figure drawn
work ismistitled); H. Buchthal, O. Kurz, and R. Ettinghausen, across her. See E. "Celestial Mapping," in J.
Savage-Smith,
"Supplementary Notes to K. Holter's 'Check List of Islamic B. Harley and D. Woodward, eds., The History of Cartography:
Illuminated Before A.D. 1350,'" Ars Islamica 7
Manuscripts Cartography in the Traditional Islamic and South Asian Societies,
(1940): 147-64, 153, no. 33; H. Buchthal, "Early Islamic Min 2 vols. (Chicago, 1987-), vol. 2, bk. 1 (1992), 52, fig. 2.34. I
iatures from Baghdad," The Journal of theWalters Art Gallery am grateful to Dr. Colin Wakefield of the Bodleian Library
5 (1942): 19-39 and figs. 34-36, 39, 41; R. Ettinghausen, for recently showing me
again this fragile manuscript.
Arab Painting (Geneva, 1962), 136-37; A. Contadini, "The 6. The ink has a tone of brown different from that of the main
Ibn BuhtishucBestiary Tradition: The Text and Its Sources," text and is also of a lesser
quality, as it has rubbed off in some
Medicina nei Secoli: Arte e Scienza 6, 2 (1994): 349-64; A. Conta
places.
dini, "A Bestiary Tale: Text and Image of the Unicorn in the 7. Abu '1-Husayn cAbd al-Rahman al-Sufi, Suwaru'l-Kawakib or
Kitab Nact (British Library, Or. 2784)," Muqarnas
al-Hayawdn (Uranometry) (Description of the 48 Constellations): Arabic text,
20 (2003): 17-33; A. Contadini, "Musical Beasts: The Swan with theUrjuza oflbnu \-Sufi, Edited from theOldest Extant Man
Phoenix in the Ibn Bakhtishuc in The Iconogra
Bestiaries," uscript and Based on the Ulugh Beg Royal Codex (Bibliotheque
phy of Islamic Art: Studies inHonour of Robert Hillenbrand, ed. Nationale, Paris, Arabe 5036) byM. Nizamud-Din (henceforth
B. O'Kane 3. This edition,
(Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2004), Hyderabad ed.) (Hyderabad 1373/1954),
93-101. The discussion on the between the made in Hyderabad, ismainly based on the Oxford manu
relationships
RAM Ibn al-Sufi, the Nact, and other Arabic
manuscripts script Marsh 144, dated 400 (1009), and that of Ulugh Beg,
will be developed further in A. Contadini, A World of Beasts: Arabe to the mid
Bibliotheque nationale, 5036, datable
Arab and Persian Books on Animals, 13th to 14th centuries, forth fifteenth century.
coming. 8. See S. M. Stern, s.v. "al-Sufi," in EI2, with fundamental bib
3. The term qaslda is used on the last page of the RAM manu
liography. See also E. Wellesz, "An Early al-Sufi
Manuscript
script, in the title of the colophon: najazat al-qasida al-fala in the Bodleian
Library in Oxford: A Study in Islamic Con
kiyya ("The poem of the heavenly spheres is completed"); it stellation Images,"Ars Orientalis 3 (1959): 1-26; idem, "Islamic

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All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
 82 ANNA CONTADINI

Astronomical Imagery: Classical and Bedouin 20. Pourjavady, Splendour of Iran, 269, and Aziz-zada,
Tradition," "Urjuza," 13.
Oriental Art 10, 2 (1964): 85-91; P. Kunitzsch, "The Astono For a discussion on see E. R. Hoffman, "The
frontispieces,
mer Abu '1-Husayn al-Sufi and His Book on the Constella Author Portrait in Thirteenth-Century Arabic Manuscripts:
tions," in F. Sezgin, ed., Zeitschrift fur Geschichte der Arabisch A New Islamic Context for a Late-Antique Tradition," Muqar
islamischen Wissenschaften 3 (1986): 56-81; E. Savage-Smith, nas 10 (1993): 6-20.
"The Islamic Tradition of Celestial Mapping," Asian Art 5, 4 21. al-Mubashshir, Mukhtar al-hikam wa mahasin al-kalim (The
(1992), 5-27; M. Carey, "Painting the Stars in a Century of Choicest Maxims and Best Sayings), Syria (?), early 13th c,
A Thirteenth-Century on in Istanbul, Topkapi
Change: Copy of al-Sufi's Treatise Sarayi Library, Ahmet III, 3206. For
theFixed Stars, British Library Or. 5323" (PhD thesis, SO AS, the text of this manuscript, see F. Rosenthal, "Arabische

University of London, 2001); M. Carey, "Mapping the Mne Nachrichten uber Zenon den Eleaten," Orientalia 6 (1937):
monic: A Late Thirteenth-Century Copy of al-Sufi's Book 21-67; and idem, "Al-Mubashshir ibn Fatik: Prolegomena
on the Constellations," in A. Contadini, ed., Arab Painting: to an Abortive Edition," Oriens 13-14 (1961): 132-58. For
Artistic Treasures from the Islamic World (London, forthcom this particular copy, see Ettinghausen, Arab Painting, 74-79

ing 2007). For very useful studies on the terminology of and color pis. on 75-77; D. James, Arab Painting: 358 A.H./
constellations and text, see P. Kunitzsch,
of al-Sufi's Unter 969 A.D.-1112 A.H./l 700 A.D (entire volume of Marg 29, 3
suchungen zur Sternnomenklatur der Araber (Wiesbaden, 1961); [1977]): 15; N. Nassar, "Saljuk
or Byzantine: Two Related
idem, Typen von Sternverzeichnissen in astronomischen Hand Styles ofjaziran Miniature Painting," in J. Raby, ed., The Art
schriften des zehnten bis vierzehnten Jahrhunderts (Wiesbaden, of Syria and theJazlra 1100-1250, Oxford Studies in Islamic
1966). Art, vol. 1 (Oxford, 1985), 86, 88, 92, 94; J. M. Rogers, The
9. C. Brockelmann, Geschichte der arabischen Literatur [supple Topkapi Saray Museum: The Albums and Illustrated Manuscripts,
ment], 3 vols.(Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1937-42) (henceforth Translated, Expanded, and Edited from the Turkish Original by
GAL/s), vol. 1, 863, and also 398; also see idem, Geschichte Filiz Qagman and Zeren Tanindi (Boston: Little, Brown, and
der arabischen Literatur, 2nd ed., 2 vols. (Leiden: E. J. Brill, Company, 1986), 32, no. 20 and color pi. 20; Hoffman, "The
1945-49) GAL), vol. 1, 253.
(henceforth Author Portrait," 12-16 and fig. 2; L. A. Hunt, "The Commis
10. Brockelmann, GAL, vol. 1, 253; idem, GAL/s, vol 1, 398; sioning of a Late Twelfth Century Gospel Book: The Frontis
Stern, "al-Sufi," which cites the previous literature as well. pieces of MS Paris Bibl. Nat. Copte 13," in idem, Byzantium,
11. Hyderabad ed.; Wellesz, "An Early al-Sufi Manuscript," 1, n. 2; Eastern Christendom and Islam: Art at theCrossroads of the
Medieval
F. Sezgin, Geschichte des arabischen Schrifttums, Band VI: Astron Mediterranean, 2 vols. (London: Pindar Press, 1998), vol. 1, 149;
omie (Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1978), 232, where it is also stated L. A. Hunt, "Manuscript Production by Christians in 13th
that Ibn al-Sufi wrote his urjuza in 371/981; Sotheby's, Orien 14th Century Greater Syria and Mesopotamia and Related
talManuscripts and Miniatures, 47; Aziz-zada, "Urjuza," 12. Areas," in idem, Byzantium, Eastern Christendom and Islam, vol.
12. Bodleian Library, Marsh 144. For thismanuscript, see Wellesz, 2, 158-59 and fig. 4; A. Contadini, "Ayyubid Illustrated Man
"An Early al-Sufi Manuscript"; E. Wellesz, An Islamic Book of uscripts and Their North Jaziran and Abbasid Neighbours,"
Constellations, Bodleian Picture Books, no. 13 (Oxford: The in R. Hillenbrand and S. Auld, eds., Ayyubid Jerusalem: The
Bodleian Library, 1965); Ettinghausen, Arab Painting, 52-53 Holy City in Context, 1187-1250 (forthcoming).
and color pi. on 51; B. W. Robinson and B. Gray, eds., The 22. Aziz-zada, "Urjuza," 13.
Persian Art of theBook, catalogue of an exhibition held at the 23. Possibly Amir Sacd al-Din (foi. 4r): see color reproduction
no. 1.
Bodleian Library (Oxford, 1972), 9, in Contadini, "The Kitdb Nact al-Hawayan," pi. 14. For the
13. This is also the reading in Aziz-zada, "Urjuza," 13. The duc Dioscorides manuscript, Khawdss al-ashjar, dated 642/1244,
tus suggests al-Hasan, but what seems at first sight to be a Egypt(?), in Bologna, Biblioteca Universitaria, Cod. arab.
tashdid belonging to al-Rahman on the line below is better 2954, see Buchthal, Kurz, and Ettinghausen, "Supplemen
read as the dots of the yd3 inHusayn. tary Notes," 162, no. 1; E. Grube, "Materialien zum Diosku
14. I am grateful to Charles Burnett, who made this sensible rides Arabicus," in R. Ettinghausen, ed., Aus der Welt der isla
me during our discussions on the manuscript. mischen Kunst: Festschrift fur Ernst Kuhnel zum 75. Geburtstag
point to
15. Aziz-zada, 13. am 26.10.1957 (Berlin, 1959), 163-94, 179, and figs. 15-17;
"Urjuza,"
16. See C. E. Bosworth, The New Islamic Dynasties (Edinburgh: Ettinghausen, Arab Painting, 66; F. Gabrieli and U. Scerrato,
Press, 1996), 154-55. Gli Arabi in Italia (Milan: Garzanti and Scheiwiller, 1979),
Edinburgh University
17. Aziz-zada, "Urjuza," 13. color pis. 715-22; M. M. Sadek, The Arabic Materia Medica of
18. Ibid. The manuscript is no. 5099 of the Majlis Library in Dioscorides (Quebec: Les Editions du Sphinx, 1983), 18, no.
Tehran, and the date is found in the colophon on page 76 VI; A. Touwaide, Farmacopea Araba Medievale: Codice Ayasofia

(or folio 37 left); for this manuscript, see also C. Brockel 3703, 2 vols. (Milan: Antea, 1992, 79-80 and figs. 74-76; Con
mann, GAL/s, vol. 1, 398, no. 11; Y. ftisami et al., Fihrist-i tadini, "Ayyubid Illustrated Manuscripts." For Dioscorides in
vol. 1, see A. Dietrich, Dioscurides Triumphans: Ein anony
Kitabkhdna-i Majlis-i Shurd-yi Milli (Tehran, 1933-), general,
109, no. 198. mer arabischer Kommentar (Ende 12. Jahrh. N. Ch.) zur Materia
& Ruprecht,
19. This is because al-Sufi wanted to represent one figure (that medica, 2 vols. (Gottingen: Vandenhoeck 1988);
the right) as seen from inside the celestial dome "The Arab Contribution to Botany and Phar
on and J. M. Rogers,
the other (on the left) from the outside, as seen in celestial macology," Arab Affairs 6 (Spring 1988): 71-86; idem, "Text
and passage from al-Sufi's text and Illustrations: Dioscorides and the Illustrated Herbal in
globes. See the explanation
inWellesz, "An Early al-Sufi Manuscript," 1-26 and pis. 1 the Arab Tradition," in Contadini, ed., Arab Painting, Sadek,
27, on 4-5. Arabic Materia Medica; M. Collins, Medieval Herbals: The Illus

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 THE IBN AL-SUFI MANUSCRIPT IN TEHRAN AND ITS ART-HISTORICAL CONNECTIONS 83

trative Traditions (London and Toronto, 2000), esp. chap. 3, Museum: Albums and Illustrated Manuscripts, 29-30, nos. 1-6
"The Illustrated Arabic Herbals." and color pis. (5) another
1-6; in Istanbul, in this case in
24. Quite a lot of work has been done on so-called Kufic script. the Suleymaniye Library (Fatih 3422), dated 529 (1134-35)
See F. Deroche, Les manuscrits du Coran, aux origines de la and made in Mardin, its scribe signing himself as cAbdallah

calligraphic coranique, 2 vols. (Paris: Bibliotheque nationale b. Abd aljabbar b. al-Rahim b. Sadaqa b. cAli b. Yusuf b. Nas
de France, 1983-85); idem, The Abbasid Tradition: Qurans sam al-Jabali, for which see Ettinghausen, Arab Painting, 162;
of
the 8th to the 10th Centuries AD, The Nasser D Khalili Collec Holter, "Die Galen-Handschrift," 36, no. 2; Holter, "Die isla
tion of Islamic Art, vol. 1 (London: The Nour Foundation, mischen Miniaturhandschriften," 3, no. 3;Wellesz, "An Early
1992); F. Deroche and F. Richard, eds., Scribes etmanuscrits al-Sufi Manuscript," 22-23; R. Ward, "Evidence for a School
du Moyen-Orient (Paris: Bibliotheque nationale de France, of Painting at the Artuqid Court," in J. Raby, ed., The Art of
1997); F. Deroche and S. Noja Noseda, Sources de la trans Syria and thejazira 1100-1250, Oxford Studies in Islamic Art,
mission manuscrite du texte coranique (Lesa: Fondazione Ferni vol. 1 (Oxford, 1985), 80; (6) another in the Berlin Staatsbib
Noja Noseda, 1998-); F. Deroche, ed., Manuel de codicologie liothek (5658), dated 630 (1233) and produced inMosul, its
des manuscits en ecriture arabe (Paris: nationale scribe being Farah b. 'Abdallah al-Habbashi, for which see W.
Bibliotheque
de France, 2000); F. Deroche, Le livre manuscrit arabe: Pre Ahlwardt, Die Handschriften-Verzeichnisse derKbniglichen Biblio
ludes a une histoire (Paris: Bibliotheque nationale de France, thek zu Berlin: Arabische Handschriften, 10 vols. (Berlin, 1893),
2005). However, there has been far less study of the other vol. 5, no. 5658; also, a copy of pseudo-Galen's Kitdb al-Diryaq

scripts, and scholarly terminology in this regard is conse dated to 1199, now in the Bibliotheque nationale, Paris (ms.

quently rather limited. A good survey of the problems linked arabe 2964), for which see W. M. le baron de Slane, Cata
to this issue (even though more specifically for Persian manu logue des manuscrits arabes (Paris: Imprimeries Nationale, 1883

scripts) isM. I.Waley, "Problems and Possibilities in Dating 95), 530; B. Fares, "Le livre de la Theriaque," Art Islamique
Persian Manuscripts," in F. Deroche, ed., Les manuscrits du 2 (1953): 1-56; Ettinghausen, Arab Painting, 83-86, 91-92

Moyen-Orient: Actes du Colloque d'Istanbul 1986 (Istanbul and and color pi. on 84-85; A. S. Melikian-Chirvani, "Materiaux
Paris, 1989), 7-15, especially 12-13. See also A. Contadini, pour servir a l'histoire de la peinture persane: Trois manu
"Travelling Pattern: A Qur'anic Illumination and Its Secular scrits de lTran seldjoukide," Arts asiatiques 16 (1967), 3-16,
Source" in S. Canby, ed., Safavid Art and Architecture (Lon 25-30, and figs. 1-2, 7-12, who attributes the manuscript to
don: British Museum Press, 2002), 58-66, esp. n. 24. Among Seljuq Iran; Hunt, "Commissioning," 132; James, Arab Paint
the relatively little written on naskh, see J. Raby, "The Nayrizi ing, 22; N. Nassar, "Saljuk or Byzantine," 85, 86, 88-90, 92,
Tradition: Naskh in Safavid and Qajar Iran," in N. F. Safwat, 94, 96, and figs. 1, 2, 4; C. Vaudour and J. Moulierac, eds.,
The Art of thePen, The Nasser D Khalili Collection of Islamic A Vombre dAvicenne: La medecine au temps des calif es,
catalogue
Art, vol. 5 (London: The Nour Foundation, 1996), 212-27; of the exhibition held at the Institut du monde arabe (Paris,
D. Roxburgh, "On the Transmission and Reconstruction of 1996), 156, no. 87 and color pis. on 102-3, 156-57, 230,
Ibn al-Bawwab and History," Studia Islamic a 96 233; O. Pancaroglu, Illustrations of
Calligraphy: "Socializing Medicine:
(2003): 39-53. the Kitdb al-Diryaq" Muqarnas 18 (2001): 155-72;J. Kerner,
25. As examples, one may cite in this connection the following "Art in the Name of Science: Illustrated Manuscripts of the
manuscripts: (1) an al-Sufi dated 400 (1009) in the Bodle Kitdb al-diryaq" (PhD diss., New York University, 2004); idem,
ian Library, Oxford (Marsh 144), for which see n. 12 above; "Art in the Name of Science: The Kitdb al-diryaq in Text and
(2) another in Qatar dated 519 (1125), for which see n. 3 Image," in Contadini, ed., Arab Painting.
above; (3) another in the Bodleian (Hunt 212), dated 566 26. The bulk of the manuscript is in the Suleymaniye Library
(1171) and probably produced in Mosul, for which see J. of Istanbul (Ayasofya 3703), with a number of its folios dis
Uri, Bibliothecae Bodleianae codicum manoscriptorum orientalium, persed in other collections. The colophon names the scribe
2 vols,in 1 (Oxford, 1787), pt. 1 (vol. 1), no. DCCCXCIX, as cAbdallah b. al-Fadl, and gives the date Rajab 621 (July
195, where the manuscript is misdated to 966 (1558) (see August 1224). See Holter, "Die islamischen Miniaturhand
also n. 5 above); Holter, "Die islamischen Miniaturhand schriften," 11-12, no. 27; Buchthal, Kurz, and Ettinghau
schriften," 4, entry h, where the dating follows Uri's incorrect sen, "Supplementary Notes," 151-52, no. 27; 20-34; and 42,
reading; E. Wellesz, "Islamic Astronomical Imagery: Classi figs. 4-31; Grube, "Materialien zum Dioskurides Arabicus,"
cal and Bedouin Tradition," Oriental Art 10, 2 (1964): 89-91; 172-78 and figs. 1-4; Ettinghausen, Arab Painting, 87-90
Sezgin, Geschichte des arabischen Schrifttums, 214; Savage-Smith, and color pis. on 87, 89; and James, Arab
Painting, 20. For
"Celestial Mapping," 52, fig. 2.34; Savage-Smith, "Islamic Tra a discussion of certain folios, see B. Gray, "Persian Minia
dition of Celestial Mapping," 14-15 and fig. 8; (4) another in tures," The British Museum Quarterly 9 (1935): 88-90, entry
the Topkapi Sarayi Library, Istanbul (Ahmet III, 3493), which no. 58 and
pi. XXIV; F. E. Day, "Mesopotamian Manuscripts
was
copied between 10 Muharram and 12 Safar 525 (Decem of Dioscorides," Bulletin of theMetropolitan Museum of Art 8,
ber 14, 1130-January b cAli b. cUmar b. 49-50
15, 1131) byWathiq (May 1950): 271-280; Arts Council of Great Britain,
al-Husayn, known as Abu '1-Shawqi, possibly inMayyafariqin, The Arts of Islam, catalogue of an exhibition at the Hayward
for which see K. Holter, "Die Galen-Handschrift und die Maka Gallery, London (London, 1976), 324, nos. 520-21; Sadek,
men des Hariri der Wiener der Arabic Materia Medica,
Nationalbibliothek/'/a/jrfo/c/i 14, no. 11; and Touwaide, Farmacopea
Kunsthistorischen Sammlungen in Wien N.F. 9 (1937): 36, no. Araba Medievale, 254, no. 194, and color pis. on 46, 82, 85,
1; Holter, "Die islamischen Miniaturhandschriften," 3, no. 2, 87, 92, 98-99, 254.
where the ms. no. ismistakenly given as 2493; Wellesz, "An 27. Vatican no. 559. See G. de
Library, Syr. Jerphanion, Les minia
Early al-Sufi Manuscript," 20-21; J. M. Rogers, Topkapi Saray tures du manuscrit
syriaque no. 559 de la Bibliotheque vaticane

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 84 ANNA CONTADINI

(Vatican: Biblioteca apostolica vaticana, 1940); H. Buchthal sen, Arab Painting, 104-11 and color pis. on 106-8, 111-13;
and O. Kurz, A Hand List of Illuminated Oriental Christian Man O. Grabar, "Pictures or Commentaries: The Illustrations of

uscripts (London, 1942), 21-22, no. 63; J. Leroy, Les Manus the Maqamat of al-Hanri," in Studies in Art and Literature of
crits syriaques a peintures conserves dans les bibliotheques d 'Europe theNear East inHonor
ofRichard Ettinghausen, (Salt Lake City,
et d'Orient, (Paris: Paul Geuthner, 1964), 280-302, pis. 70 1974), 97-98 and pi. 3; D.James, "Space-Forms in theWork of
92, 94-99, and color pi. between 4 and 5; Ettinghausen, Arab the Baghdad Maqamat Illustrators, 1225-58," Bulletin of the
Painting, 98 and color pi. on 94; Hunt, "Manuscript Produc School of Oriental and African Studies 37 (1974): 305-6, 314
tion," 160. The date of this manuscript has been disputed 16 and fig. 4; James, Arab Painting, 20-22; O. Grabar, The
at times, but no convincing argument has yet been put for Illustrations of theMaqamat (Chicago: University of Chicago
ward for a revision of the 1220 date. Press, 1984), 11, no. 4 and subsequent references in discus
28. British Library, Add. Ms.7170. See W. Wright, Catalogue of sions of individual maqamat; Y. A. Petrosyan, ed., De Bagdad
the Syriac Manuscripts in theBritish Museum Acquired since the a
Ispahan: Manuscrits islamiques de la Filiate de Saint-Peters
Year 1838, 3 vols. (London, 1870-72), vol. 3, 1204; A. Min bourg de I'Institut d'Etudes Orientates, Academie des Sciences de
gana, Catalogue of theMingana Collection ofManuscripts: Now in Russie, catalogue of an international exhibition held 1994
thePossession of the Trustees ofWoodbrooke Settlement, Selly Oak, 95 (Paris: Fondation ARCH, 1994), 116-27, which includes

Birmingham, 4 vols. (Cambridge, Eng., 1933-63), vol. 1, cols. 16 color reproductions.

1127-28, no. 590; H. Buchthal, "The Painting of the Syrian 31. James, Arab Painting, 20; A. Contadini, "Islamic Manuscripts

Jacobites and Its Relation to Byzantine and Islamic Art," Syria and the ARCH Foundation," Apollo (Feb. 1995): 29.
20 (1939): 136-50; Buchthal and Kurtz, Hand List, 13-14, 32. Paris, Bibliotheque nationale, Ms. Arabe 5847. This manu
no. 19; Leroy, Manuscrits and pis. 70-78, (3 May, 1237), and was both
syriaques, 302-13 script is dated 6 Ramadan 634
80-99; H. C. Evans and W. D. Wixom, eds., The Glory ofByz written and illustrated by Yahya b. Mahmud b. Yahya b. Abu
antium: Art and Culture of theMiddle Byzantine Era A.D. 843 '1-Hasan b. Kuwarriha al-Wasiti. See E. Blochet, Catalogue des
1261, catalogue of an exhibition held at the Metropolitan Manuscrits arabes des nouvelles acquisitions (1884?1924) (Paris:
Museum of Art (New York, 1997), 385, no. 254 and color Editions Ernest Leroux, 1925), 125-26; E. Blochet, Les enlu
pi. 254; L. A. Hunt, "Christian-Muslim Relations in Paint minures des manuscrits orientaux?turcs, arabes, persans?de la

ing in Egypt of the Twelfth to Mid-Thirteenth Centuries: Bibiotheque nationale, Editions de la Gazette des Beaux-Arts
Sources of Wallpainting at Deir as-Suriani and the Illustra (Paris, 1926), 56-58
and pis. X-XIII; "Die Islamischen Min
tion of the New Testament Ms. Paris, Copte-Arabe 1/Cairo, iaturhandschriften," 13, no. 31; Buchthal, Kurz, and Etting
Bibl. 94," in idem, Byzantium, Eastern Christendom and Islam, hausen, "Supplementary Notes," 152-53, no. 31; Buchthal,
vol. 1, 262 and figs. 22-24; L. A. Hunt, "Cultural Transmis "Early Islamic Miniatures," 35-37 and figs. 32-33, 37-38,
sion: Illustrated Biblical Manuscripts from the Medieval East 40; Rice, "The Oldest Illustrated Arabic Manuscript," 215,
ern Christian and Arab Worlds" in idem, Byzantium, Eastern 216-18, and pi. Ill; Ettinghausen, Arab Painting, 104, 114
Christendom and Islam, vol. 2, 11; Hunt, "Manuscript Produc 24 and col. pis. on 114, 116-19, 121-22; O. Grabar, "Pic
tion," 160-62 and fig. 6. tures or Commentaries," 85-86, 87-88, 92, 94, 97-99, pis. I
29. Contadini, The Kitab Nact al-Hayawdn. II, V, VIII, XI; James, "Space-Forms," 304-6, 307-9, 313-15,
30. The latter is in St. Petersburg, Academy of Sciences, Ms. S 316-17 and figs. 1, 5; James, Arab Painting, 20-22; Grabar,
23. See Holter, "Islamischen Miniaturhandschriften," 13 Illustrations of theMaqamat, 10-11, no. 3 and subsequent ref
14, no. 32; Buchthal, Kurz, and Ettinghausen, erences in discussions of individual maqamat; for the fronti
"Supplemen
see Hoffman, "The Author Por
tary Notes," 153, no. 32; D. S. Rice, "The Oldest Illustrated spieces of this manuscript
Arabic Manuscript," Bulletin of the School of Oriental and Afri trait," 15 and figs. 6a-b.
can Studies 22 (1959): 215, 217, 218, and 1; Ettinghau
pi.

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