The top and bottom panels of this illuminated finispiece from Walters manuscript W.578 are inscribed with the basmalah and hamdalah in white Thuluth script. The Qur'anic verses in the central panel are written in Square Kufic.

Illuminated Finispiece with Doxological Formulae and Qur'anic Inscriptions

Unknown artist

The top and bottom panels of this illuminated finispiece from Walters manuscript W.578 are inscribed with the basmalah and hamdalah in white Thuluth script. The Qur'anic verses in the central panel are written in Square Kufic.

Colors in this work

Details

Holding institution
Walters Art Museum
Image provider
wikimedia-commons
License
Public domain
Credit
Walters Art Museum

Art Genome Taxonomy

11 tags

Artistic Disciplines

  • Written Word Both · 99%

    The object is identified in the metadata as an illuminated finispiece from a manuscript, and the image is dominated by inscriptional panels and calligraphic forms.

Subject Matter

  • Text Both · 100%

    The image is principally composed of written inscriptions; the catalog identifies the upper and lower texts as the basmalah and hamdalah and the central text as Qur'anic verses.

  • Related to Religion Metadata · 99%

    The museum description explicitly identifies the inscriptions as the basmalah, hamdalah, and Qur'anic verses, supporting a religious subject classification.

Visual Qualities

  • Geometric Visual · 99%

    The central field and surrounding borders are built from nested diamonds, rectangles, angular bands, and repeated right-angled linear forms.

  • Symmetrical Visual · 98%

    The illuminated panel has a centered vertical structure with visually balanced upper, central, and lower zones and repeated framing on all sides.

  • Patterns Visual · 96%

    Repeated colored bands, angular inscriptional units, scrolling vegetal forms, and small floral motifs produce an extensive patterned surface.

  • Highly Ornamented Visual · 98%

    Multiple nested frames, dense inscriptional ornament, vegetal scrollwork, vivid colors, and fine linear detailing make the page highly embellished.

Medium and Techniques

  • Manuscript Both · 99%

    The catalog classifies the object as manuscript or decorative art, while the image clearly shows a decorated manuscript leaf with framed inscriptional panels.

  • Arabic/Farsi Calligraphy Metadata · 99%

    The description specifies white Thuluth script in the upper and lower panels and Square Kufic for the central Qur'anic verses.

Time Periods

  • 17th Century Art Metadata · 99%

    The catalog dates the work to the 17th century.

Cultural and Religious Styles

  • The work incorporates Qur'anic inscriptions and Islamic calligraphic forms, supporting classification within Islamic artistic and religious traditions.

Source & rights

Abu al-Hasan al-Shadhili (died 656 AH/AD 1258). Walters Art Museum: Home page Info about artwork

High-resolution sources