ManuscriptsPersian16th century

Colophon (text, recto), folio from a manuscript of the Shahnama by Firdawsi

1562

Description

The colophon, written in the tapering area at the bottom of the page, reads, “The end of the book, with the aid of God and divine blessings. Prayers and praise upon Muhammad, Seal of the Prophets, and [upon God] of the pious and the chaste. With continuous and eternal prayers of submission to the Greatest of Greats, on the [?] day of the month of Ramadan the blessed in the year 969, by the effort of Muhammad al-Qivam al-Katib al-Shirazi, may God forgive him. May you [God] forgive any offenses and hide any errors. So be it, O Lord!” There is no text on the verso of this folio.

Classification

Manuscripts

Medium

Ink, opaque watercolor and gold on paper

Culture

Persian

Period

Safavid period

Century

16th century

Division

Asian and Mediterranean Art

Department

Department of Islamic & Later Indian Art

Dimensions

36.9 x 23.9 cm (14 1/2 x 9 7/16 in.)

Provenance

[Christies, London, 17 October 1995, lot no. 79]. [Mansour Gallery, London, before 1998] sold; to Stanford and Norma Jean Calderwood, Belmont, MA (by 1998-2002), gift; to Harvard Art Museums, 2002.