Ottoman Qur’an Bifolio, Circa 18th Century – Chapters 15 and 16
Thought to be an 18th-century Ottoman Qur’an (Qurʾān / Koran) bifolio, written in black Arabic naskh script on paper and displaying features consistent with Ottoman manuscript production of the early modern period. The text is laid out within ruled borders, with gold verse markers, areas of red rubrication, and restrained polychrome illumination, including a small marginal decorative device. The calligraphy demonstrates the clear, measured hand favoured in Ottoman Qur’ans. The bifolio survives from a Qur’an that has experienced age-related wear, including surface toning, staining, and historic repairs along the central fold, all consistent with prolonged devotional use. Retaining both facing pages, the manuscript represents a coherent and instructive example of Ottoman Qur’anic copying and contains Surah al-Hijr (verses 1–32) and Surah al-Nahl (verse 112 to the end).
Share this lot:
