دیوان حافظ

Walters Ms. W.634, Collection of poems (divan)

Walters Ms. W.634, Collection of poems (divan)

Dīvān-i Ḥāfiẓ

ديوان حافظ

Ḥāfiẓ, 14th cent. (author)

Shams al-Dīn Muḥammad Ḥāfiẓ al-Shīrāzī (author)

شمس الدين محمد حافظ الشيرازي (author)

This manuscript is an illuminated copy of the Collection of poems (dīvān) by Shams al-Dīn Muḥammad Ḥāfiẓ al-Shīrāzī (fl. eighth century AH / fourteenth CE). Written in Safavid Iran in the tenth century AH / sixteenth CE in black nastaʿlīq script, the codex opens with a double-page illuminated frontispiece that precedes a preface (dībāchah) (fols. 1b-2a). An illuminated headpiece (fol. 7b) inscribed fa-Llāh khayr ḥāfiẓan or "God is the best protector" (Sūrat Yūsuf, 12:64) introduces the initial verses of the Dīvān. There is an illuminated tailpiece inscribed with the work's final verses and a colophon with prayers for the prophet Muhammad and his family. The illumination of this manuscript exemplifies the Safavid style of the tenth century AH / sixteenth CE. The binding is not contemporary with the manuscript. For full description, see http://www.thedigitalwalters.org/Data/WaltersManuscripts/html/W634/description.html

The primary language in this manuscript is Persian.

Double-page illuminated frontispiece; illuminated headpiece and tailpiece; cloud-bands; wide frame; text interspersed with rectangular and triangular decorative panels with floral motifs

fol. 1b Double-page illuminated frontispiece Frontispiece This is the right side of a double-page illuminated frontispiece in the Safavid style. It precedes the preface (dībāchah) of the Dīvān.

fol. 2a Double-page illuminated frontispiece Frontispiece This is the left side of a double-page illuminated frontispiece in the Safavid style, which has been torn. It precedes the preface (dībāchah) of the Dīvān.

fol. 7b Incipit page with illuminated headpiece Incipit; headpiece This incipit has an illuminated headpiece inscribed in white ink: fa-Llāh khayr ḥāfiẓan or "God is the best protector" (Sūrat Yūsuf, 12:64). The headpiece exemplifies the Safavid style of illumination. On this page and the facing page (fol. 8a) there is gold interlinear illumination with polychrome floral motifs. The headpiece introduces the initial verses of the Dīvān.

fol. 199a Illuminated tailpiece and colophon Tailpiece; colophon This illuminated tailpiece contains the final verses of the Dīvān and a colophon with prayers for the prophet Muhammad and his family.

10th century AH / 16th CE

Walters Art Museum, 1931, by Henry Walters bequest

Persian

paper

image/jpeg

1501

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