early 19th century
Calligraphy in graphic design inspired by Kufic script in the form of a Mihrab, displaying the verses 51-52 of the Qur'an Surah 68 (al-Qalam). Those verses have been used in Muslim traditions as apotropaic to keep the evil eye away.
23.18 x 15.24 cm (9 1/8 x 6 in.)
Tanzaku (long, slender poem slip) mounted as a hanging scroll; ink on indigo-dyed paper with cloud pattern
12th-14th centuryJapaneseHandscroll fragment; silver pigment on dark blue paper with silver guide lines
8th centuryJapaneseHandscroll fragment mounted as a hanging scroll; ink on light indigo-dyed paper with gold-leaf foil flakes and gold-ruled lines
11th centuryJapaneseHandscroll; ink on paper with silver and gold-flecked top and bottom margins
11th-12th centuryJapanese4th of a set of 54 thread-bound books; ink on paper
17th-18th centuryJapanese3rd of 5 thread-bound books; ink, gold and silver on paper; some colored paper
16th-17th centuryJapaneseTwenty manuscript books; ink on paper, with cover paintings in gold pigment on indigo-dyed paper
17th centuryJapaneseKaishi bound with paper cord; ink on kumogami (cloud-pattern dyed paper) decorated with gold and silver
17th centuryJapaneseThread-bound book; ink on paper with underdrawing
17th-18th centuryJapaneseInk on paper
13th centuryJapaneseAlbum leaf; ink on paper
ChineseInk on paper
Chinese