دیوان حافظ

Walters Ms. W.631, Collection of poems (divan)

Walters Ms. W.631, Collection of poems (divan)

Dīvān-i Ḥāfiẓ

ديوان حافظ

Ḥāfiẓ, 14th cent. (author)

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

شمس الدين محمد حافظ الشيرازي (author)

This is an illuminated and illustrated copy of the collection of poems (dīvān) by Shams al-Dīn Muḥammad Ḥāfiz al-Shīrāzī (fl. eighth century AH / fourteenth CE). The text is written in nasta‘līq script and is dated to the end of Ṣafar 946 AH / 1539 CE. The manuscript opens with a double-page illustrated frontispiece of an enthroned King Solomon (Sulaymān) and Queen Sheba (Bilqīs) (fols. 2b-3a), followed by an illuminated incipit with titlepiece inscribed Dīvān-i Ḥāfiẓ. There are two additional illustrations of figures conversing and drinking in outdoor landscapes (fols. 114a and 150b). The dark brown leather binding, which is original to the manuscript, is panel-stamped in relief with a central lobed medallion with pendants and an allover floral and vine decoration. For full description, see http://www.thedigitalwalters.org/Data/WaltersManuscripts/html/W631/description.html

The primary language in this manuscript is Persian.

Double-page illustrated frontispiece (fols. 2b-3a); two text illustrations (fols. 114a and 150b); illuminated incipit with titlepiece inscribed Dīvān-i Ḥāfiẓ and interlinear illumination (fol. 3b); section headings; framing lines in blue, gold, red, and black

fol. 2b Right side of a double-page illustrated frontispiece depicting King Solomon (Sulaymān) enthroned Frontispiece; illustration The right side of this double-page illustrated frontispiece depicts King Solomon (Sulaymān) enthroned. He is surrounded by the beasts over which he reigns, including dīvs and birds, mostly likely the hoopoe. Angels are above. At some point in the manuscript's history, figures' faces seem to have been purposefully erased.

fol. 3a Left side of a double-page illustrated frontispiece depicting Queen Sheba (Bilqīs) enthroned Frontispiece; illustration The left side of this double-page illustrated frontispiece depicts Queen Sheba (Bilqīs) enthroned. She is surrounded by attendants and animals, both real and fantastic. Above her is a flying mythical bird (sīmurgh).

fol. 3b Illuminated incipit page with titlepiece Incipit; titlepiece This illuminated incipit page has a titlepiece inscribed with the title Dīvān-i Ḥāfiẓ in white nasta‘līq script. It is also decorated with interlinear illumination and a heading with polychrome decoration. There is an erased seal at the right.

fol. 114a A garden reception (majlis) Illustration A princely figure is shown in female and male company. All male figures with the exception of one in a blue cloak wear the early Safavid headgear defined by a high red baton. The participants are drinking wine. The standing figure held steady by another is clearly inebriated. It is possible that the seated figure in blue represents the poet Ḥāfiẓ.

fol. 150b A garden reception (majlis) Illustration In this scene, figures are seated in a garden landscape dressed in the early Safavid style drinking wine. The verses before and after the illustration are in white nasta‘līq script on a gold ground. The borders are decorated in an illuminated floral pattern, perhaps stenciled.

End of Ṣafar 946 AH / 1539 CE

Walters Art Museum, 1931, by Henry Walters bequest

Persian

paper

image/jpeg

1539

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