خمسۀ امیرخسرو دهلوی

Walters Ms. W.622, Five poems (quintet)

Walters Ms. W.622, Five poems (quintet)

Khamsah-i Dihlavī

خمسه دهلوى

Amīr Khusraw Dihlavī, ca. 1253-1325 (author)

Amīr Khusraw Dihlavī (author)

امير خسرو دهلوى (author)

Pīr Ḥusayn al-Kātib al-Shīrāzī (scribe)

This is an illustrated and illuminated Safavid copy of the Khamsah (quintet) of Amīr Khusraw Dihlavī (d. 725 AH / 1325 CE), written by Pīr Ḥusayn al-Kātib al-Shīrāzī in 935 AH / 1529 CE. The codex opens with a double-page illuminated frontispiece with verses in honor of the poet Mir (Amir) Khusraw (fols. 1b-2a). There are four illuminated incipit pages introducing the individual poems, and thirteen paintings illustrate the text. The lacquer binding, which is not original to the manuscript, has a hunting scene on the upper and lower boards. The lower board is inscribed yā Shāh Najaf (oh, King of Najaf, i.e. ʿAlī) and is dated 1271 AH / 1854 CE. For full description, see http://www.thedigitalwalters.org/Data/WaltersManuscripts/html/W622/description.html

The primary language in this manuscript is Persian. The secondary language of this manuscript is Arabic.

Thirteen illustrations (fols. 23a, 34b, 39a, 66a, 123a, 130b, 173b, 186b, 207b, 232b, 244b, 254b, and 267b); double-page illuminated frontispiece (fols. 1b-2a); illuminated incipit pages with titlepieces (Shīrīn va Khusraw [fol. 55b], Majnūn va Laylá [fol. 114b], Āyinah-i Iskandarī [fol. 155b], and Hasht bihisht [fol. 224b]); framing lines in blue, black, and gold

fol. 1b Double-page illuminated frontispiece Frontispiece This is the right side of a double-page illuminated frontispiece introducing the first poem of the Khamsah, Maṭlaʿ al-anvār. The inscription consists of verses in honor of Mīr (Amīr) Khusraw.

fol. 2a Double-page illuminated frontispiece Frontispiece This is the left side of a double-page illuminated frontispiece introducing the first poem of the Khamsah, Maṭlaʿ al-anvār. The inscription consists of verses in honor of Mīr (Amīr) Khusraw.

fol. 23a The prophet Khizr paying a visit to a pious man Illustration

fol. 34b Four men die of thirst in a desert Illustration Four men die of thirst in a desert, each refusing the water offered by a stranger on a camel until his companion has drunk.

fol. 39a A king out hunting accidentally kills a young man Illustration A king out hunting accidentally kills a young man and offers to compensate his mother with his own life or a platter of gold.

fol. 55b Illuminated incipit page with titlepiece Incipit; titlepiece This illuminated incipit page has a titlepiece inscribed with the title of the second poem of the Khamsah, Kitāb-i Shīrīn va Khusraw, in white ink on a gold ground.

fol. 66a Khusraw meets Shīrīn while hunting Illustration

fol. 114b Incipit page with illuminated titlepiece Incipit; titlepiece This illuminated incipit page has a titlepiece inscribed with the title of the third poem of the Khamsah, Kitāb-i Majnūn Laylī, in white ink on a gold ground.

fol. 123a Laylá and Majnūn fall in love at school Illustration

fol. 130b Nawfal battles Laylá’s clan on behalf of Majnūn Illustration

fol. 155b Incipit page with illuminated titlepiece Incipit; titlepiece This illuminated incipit page has a titlepiece inscribed with the title of the fourth poem of the Khamsah, Kitāb-i āyinah-i Iskandarī, in white ink on a gold ground.

fol. 173b Alexander the Great lassos a Chinese warrior Illustration

fol. 186b Alexander the Great entertains Kanīfū Illustration

fol. 207b Alexander the Great confers with wise men Illustration Iskandar (Alexander the Great) confers with wise men about his intention to investigate the mysteries of the deep.

fol. 224b Incipit page with illuminated titlepiece Incipit; titlepiece This illuminated incipit page has a titlepiece inscribed with the title of the fifth poem of the Khamsah, Kitāb-i hasht bihisht, in white ink on a gold ground.

fol. 232b Bahrām Gūr displays his hunting skills before Dilārām Illustration

fol. 244b Bahrām Gūr in the green pavilion Illustration

fol. 254b Bahrām Gūr in the blue pavilion Illustration

fol. 267b Bahrām Gūr in the white pavilion Illustration

23 Dhū al-Qaʿdah 935 AH / 1529 CE

Former owner: Muḥammad ʿAlī Shīrāzī ibn […] Muḥammad Qāsim Shīrāzī, 1250[?]

Walters Art Museum, 1931, by Henry Walters bequest

Persian

Arabic

paper

image/jpeg

1529

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