خمسۀ نظامی

Walters Ms. W.609, Five poems (quintet)

Walters Ms. W.609, Five poems (quintet)

Khamsah-i Niẓāmī

خمسه نظامي

Niẓāmī Ganjavī, 1140 or 41-1202 or 3 (author)

Ilyās ibn Yūsuf Niẓāmī Ganjavī (author)

الياس بن يوسف نظامي گنجوي (author)

ʿAbd al-Wahhāb ibn ʿAbd al-Fattāḥ ibn ʿAlī (artist)

Yār Muḥammad al-Haravī (scribe)

This illuminated and illustrated copy of the Khamsah (quintet) of Niẓāmī Ganjavī (d. 605 AH / 1209 CE) was written by Yār Muḥammad al-Haravī in 922 AH / 1516 CE. Written in four columns in black nastaʿlīq script, this manuscript opens with a double-page illuminated frontispiece signed by ʿAbd al-Wahhāb ibn ʿAbd al-Fattāḥ ibn ʿAlī. It contains thirty-five illustrations that were repainted in India during the twelfth century AH / eighteenth CE. The seal of Muḥammad Asharf ibn Muḥammad Khātam al-Ḥusaynī, dated 1173 AH / 1759-60 CE appears on fols. 1a and 401a. It is possible that the brown leather binding with center and side panels brushed with gold is original to the manuscript but was repaired at a later stage in the codex's history. For full description, see http://www.thedigitalwalters.org/Data/WaltersManuscripts/html/W609/description.html

The primary language in this manuscript is Persian.

Thirty-five illustrations; double-page illuminated frontispiece signed by ʿAbd al-Wahhāb ibn ʿAbd al-Fattāḥ ibn ʿAlī; illuminated titlepieces with inscriptions in white ink on a decorated blue background

fol. 1b Double-page illuminated frontispiece Incipit; frontispiece This is the right side of a double-page illuminated frontispiece. This page begins the first poem.

fol. 2a Double-page illuminated frontispiece Incipit; frontispiece This is the left side of a double-page illuminated frontispiece containing two small medallions. One gives the name of the illuminator as ʿAbd al-Wahhāb ibn ʿAbd al-Fattāḥ ibn ʿAlī.

fol. 17a Sultan Sanjar and the old woman Illustration An old woman petitions Sultan Sanjar about the questionable behavior of his policeman. The face of Sultan Sanjar was very clearly re-painted in India.

fol. 25a Two scholars quarreling Illustration Two physicians are depicted quarreling in the presence of the king. The inscription over the doorway on the left reads: al-sulṭān al-ʿādil.

fol. 33b Incipit with illuminated titlepiece Incipit; titlepiece This incipit page has an illuminated titlepiece introducing the second poem of the Khamsah, Khusraw va Shīrīn, which is written in white on a blue ground.

fol. 44b Shīrīn admiring the portrait of Khusraw Illustration Shīrīn is depicted in the company of her maidens admiring the portrait of Khusraw.

fol. 49a Khusraw watching Shīrīn bathing Illustration Shīrīn bathes in a fountain as Khusraw, drawn by her beauty, watches.

fol. 58a Khusraw fends off an attacking lion Illustration Khusraw fends off an attacking lion.

fol. 78b Shīrin on horseback watches Farhād Illustration Shīrin, on horseback, watches Farhād digging a canal for a stream of milk.

fol. 88b Khusraw arriving at Shīrīn's palace Illustration Khusraw comes on horseback to visit Shīrīn, the Armenian princess.

fol. 106a Khusraw and Shīrīn in their wedding chamber Illustration This image of Khusraw and Shīrīn in their wedding chamber has been erased at some point in the manuscript's history. The inscription on the right reads: al-sulṭān al-ʿādil.

fol. 111b Shīrūyah stabbing his father, Khusraw Illustration

fol. 121b Incipit with illuminated titlepiece Incipit; titlepiece This incipit page has a titlepiece introducing the third poem of the Khamsah, Laylá va Majnūn, which is written in white on a blue ground.

fol. 132b Laylá and Majnūn at school Illustration Laylá and Majnūn are portrayed as small children at school, when they first met.

fol. 137a Majnūn and his father in front of the Kaʿbah in Mecca Illustration Majnūn and his father, who is on the right, are depicted in front of the Kaʿbah in Mecca.

fol. 144b Nawfal fighting with Laylá’s tribe Illustration Nawfal, a dedicated friend of Majnūn’s, fights with Laylá’s tribe.

fol. 149b Majnūn, in chains, is led by the old woman to Laylá's tent Illustration A shackled Majnūn is lead by an old woman in front of the encampment of Laylá’s tribe.

fol. 157b Majnūn playing with wild animals Illustration In the wilderness, Majnūn is comforted by wild animals.

fol. 167a Laylá and Majnūn meeting in the palm grove Illustration

fol. 175b Laylá and Majnūn fainting at the sight of each other Illustration

fol. 185b Incipit with illuminated titlepiece Incipit; titlepiece This incipit page has a titlepiece introducing the fourth poem of the Khamsah, Haft paykar, which is written in white on a blue ground.

fol. 197a Bahrām Gūr killing a lion and a wild ass Illustration

fol. 203a Bahrām Gūr killing two lions Illustration

fol. 207b Fitnah carrying the ox upstairs to Bahrām Gūr Illustration Fitnah is shown carrying the ox upstairs to Bahrām Gūr. The inscription over the gate to the garden reads: Allāhu wa-lā siwāhu.

fol. 213b Bahrām Gūr in the black pavilion Illustration Bahrām Gūr visits the princess in the black pavilion. The inscription on top reads: yā mufattiḥ al-abwāb yā musabbib al-asbāb.

fol. 221a Bahrām Gūr in the yellow pavilion Illustration Bahrām Gūr visits the princess in the yellow pavilion. The inscriptions read: al-sulṭān al-aʿẓam al-khāqān al-aʿdal.

fol. 224b Bahrām Gūr in the green pavilion Illustration Bahrām Gūr visits the princess in the green pavilion.

fol. 227bisb Bahrām Gūr in the red pavilion Illustration Bahrām Gūr visits the princess in the red pavilion.

fol. 232a Bahrām Gūr in the blue pavilion Illustration Bahrām Gūr visits the princess in the blue pavilion.

fol. 238b Bahrām Gūr in the sandalwood pavilion Illustration Bahrām Gūr visits the princess in the sandalwood pavilion.

fol. 243b Bahrām Gūr in the white pavilion Illustration Bahrām Gūr visits the princess in the white pavilion.

fol. 250a Bahrām Gūr meeting a shepherd who hung his dog on a tree Illustration

fol. 257b Incipit with illuminated titlepiece Incipit; titlepiece This incipit page has a titlepiece introducing the fifth poem of the Khamsah, Iskandarnāmah, which is written in white on a blue ground.

fol. 276b Alexandar the Great fighting the Ethiopians Illustration

fol. 291a The death of King Darius Illustration

fol. 305b Alexander the Great admiring his portrait ordered by Nūshābah Illustration

fol. 320a Alexander the Great hunting deer Illustration The figure of Alexander the Great (Iskandar), who is depicted hunting deer, is smudged.

fol. 338b Alexander the Great fighting the Russian warriors Illustration

fol. 351b Incipit with illuminated titlepiece Incipit; titlepiece This incipit page has a titlepiece introducing the Iqbālnāmah, the second part of the fifth poem of the Khamsah, Iskandarnāmah, which is written in white on a blue ground.

fol. 364a An Ethiopian warrior killing another Ethiopian Illustration

fol. 372a Alexander the Great and the seven philosophers, including Aristotle, Socrates, and Plato Illustration

fol. 387b Alexander the Great watching the sirens bathing Illustration

922 AH / 1516 CE; date given in chronosticon (fol. 401a, above colophon): rāvī khamsah

Seal impression: Muḥammad Asharf ibn Muḥammad Khātam al-Ḥusaynī, 1173 AH / 1759-60 CE (fols. 1a and 401a)

Ownership statement: Ḥusayn […?], 1308 AH / 1890-1 CE (fol. 1b)

Walters Art Museum, 1931, by Henry Walters bequest

Persian

paper

image/jpeg

1516

All Walters manuscript images and descriptions provided here are copyrighted © The Walters Art Museum.