İsmail Zühdî ( -1806)

Calligraphic composition

18. yüzyıl sonu

Sabancı Üniversitesi Sakıp Sabancı Müzesi (Emirgan, İstanbul, Türkiye)

The kıt’a consists of two lines in nesih followed by one line in sülüs and four more lines in nesih. Fitting the long sentence into a single line of sülüs is a feat reflecting the skill of the calligrapher. The Arabic line reads, Hacecnâ mea’l-huccâci haccen ke-haccihim hacceten fetehaccû (Like them we have made the pilgrimage with pilgrims). This sentence with its series of ha and jim characters written one after the other, is like a visual tongue-twister, and clearly the calligrapher enjoyed these calligraphic witticisms.1 The two lines in nesih above the line of sülüs are the Arabic hadith, ‘The Prophet of God declared: Do not curse my disciples. If any one of you should acquire gold equalling the volume of Mount Uhud, you could not begin to compare with them.’ The first three lines in nesih script below the line of sülüs are another hadith, ‘The Prophet of God declared: When you pray to God hold the palms of your hands open, not the backs. Tradition says that when you finish your prayer you should rub your face with your hands. So truly spoke the Prophet of God.’ The final line in nesih script is the colophon reading, ‘This was written by the humble İsmail Zühdî, known as a hafiz of the Koran [one who has memorised the Koran].’ The koltuk panels at the corners of the composition are filled with gilded halkâr decoration. The spaces between the lines are gilded and the broad border is sprinkled with silver.

Detail

Title:

Calligraphic composition

Artist:

İsmail Zühdî ( -1806)

Date:

18. yüzyıl sonu

Dimensions:

15,6 x 22,7 cm

Medium:

Sized paper, black ink, paint, gold

Location:

Sabancı Üniversitesi Sakıp Sabancı Müzesi (Emirgan, İstanbul, Türkiye)

Credit:

Exhibition History

Calligraphic composition

Detail

Title:

Artist:

Date:

Dimensions:

Medium:

Location:

Credit:

Categories