North Africa / Qur'an Bifolio / 9th century

North Africa
Qur'an Bifolio
9th century
View Larger Image

View Full Catalog Record Below

This image is one of over 108,000 from the AMICA Library (formerly The Art Museum Image Consortium Library- The AMICO Library™), a growing online collection of high-quality, digital art images from over 20 museums around the world. www.davidrumsey.com/amica offers subscriptions to this collection, the finest art image database available on the internet. EVERY image has full curatorial text and can be studied in depth by zooming into the smallest details from within the Image Workspace.

Preview the AMICA Library™ Public Collection in Luna Browser Now

Cultures and time periods represented range from contemporary art, to ancient Greek, Roman, and Egyptian works.
Types of works include paintings, drawings, watercolors, sculptures, costumes, jewelry, furniture, prints, photographs, textiles, decorative art, books and manuscripts.

Gain access to this incredible resource through either a monthly or a yearly subscription and search the entire collection from your desktop, compare multiple images side by side and zoom into the minute details of the images. Visit www.davidrumsey.com/amica for more information on the collection, click on the link below the revolving thumbnail to the right, or email us at amica@luna-img.com .

Creator Nationality: African
Creator Dates/Places: North Africa
Creator Active Place: North Africa
Creator Name-CRT: North Africa
Title: Qur'an Bifolio
Title Type: Primary
View: Full View
Creation Start Date: 800
Creation End Date: 900
Creation Date: 9th century
Object Type: Books
Classification Term: Calligraphy
Materials and Techniques: gold, ink and colors on vellum
Dimensions: Overall: 26.7cm x 73cm, Folio: 36.3cm
AMICA Contributor: The Cleveland Museum of Art
Owner Location: Cleveland, Ohio, USA
ID Number: 1993.39.1.a
Credit Line: The Severance and Greta Millikin Purchase Fund
Rights: http://www.clemusart.com/museum/disclaim2.html
Style or Period: North African
Context: Because of its connection with the Koran, 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 Koran that were true calligraphic masterpieces.This Koran, written entirely in gold, exemplifies the angular form of writing known as Kufic at its majestic best. The text on theright page is the opening of the Chapter of the Star (53: 1-21), which begins:By the star when it plunges, your comrade isnot astray, neither errs, nor speaks he out ofcaprice. This is naught but a revelationrevealed, taught him by one terrible in power, very strong...
AMICA ID: CMA_.1993.39.1.a
AMICA Library Year: 1999
Media Metadata Rights: Copyright, The Cleveland Museum of Art

AMICA PUBLIC RIGHTS: a) Access to the materials is granted for personal and non-commercial use. b) A full educational license for non-commercial use is available from Cartography Associates at www.davidrumsey.com/amica/institution_subscribe.html c) Licensed users may continue their examination of additional materials provided by Cartography Associates, and d) commercial rights are available from the rights holder.