Publication Date
Probably late 9th/15th century
Publication Place
-
Victoria and Albert Museum
Subject
Paper covered with gilded and colored leather.
Type
Other
Language
Undetermined
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Physical Dimensions
الارتفاع: 31.2 سم؛ العرض: 21 سم
Library
Museum With No Frontiers
Library Asset ID
531–1983
Record ID
object;ISL;uk;Mus02;18;ar
Library Location
Victoria and Albert Museum
Date
Probably late 9th/15th century
Notes
Book cover made of leather and decorated with gold. On the front and back cover appears a complex design around a central circular medallion, inside which is an Arabeskin pattern emerging from an interlocking geometric formation to fill the circular space, surrounded by a wide frame decorated with interconnected flowers. The outer side of this frame is also surrounded by twelve decorative shapes resembling the sun, and swirl-shaped decorations emerge from the upper and lower shapes. The corners of the front and back covers are filled with arabesque designs, as is the folding margin, which is also decorated with a dense field of freely colored flowers. As for the gilding, strokes of light blue paint were added in some places, creating a strong and beautiful contrast. It was believed for many years that the cover was manufactured in the early Ottoman period, but this hypothesis was recently reconsidered, and the cover was attributed to the late Mamluk period. It is not known which book this cover contained, but given the quality of the fine workmanship, it is most likely that it was the Qur’an.
Sample Text
Barry Wood “Book cover” in Discover Islamic Art. Museum Without Borders, 2026. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;ISL;uk;Mus02;18;ar
