Walters Ms. W.663, Five poems (quintet)Ḫamse-yi Nevāʾīخمسه نوائيAlisher Navoiĭ, 1441-1501ʿAlī Šīr Nevāʾīعلي شير نوائيMir Ali ŠirAuthor dates preferred by cataloger: d. 906 AH / 1501 CEPrincipal catalogerGacek, AdamCatalogerLandau, AmyCatalogerSmith, SitaEditorBockrath, DianeContributorBarrera, ChristinaContributorEmery, DougContributorHerbert, LynleyContributorNoel, WilliamContributorSimpson, ShreveContributorTabritha, ArielContributorToth, Michael B.ContributorValle, ChiaraConservatorJewell, StephanieConservatorQuandt, AbigailThe Walters Art Museum

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This is a Safavid illuminated and illustrated collection of the Ḫamse (quintet), written in Çaġatāy (eastern Turkic), composed by the celebrated ʿAlī Šīr Nevāʾī (d. 906 AH / 1501 CE), and inspired by the Persian Khamse of Niẓāmī and Amīr Khusraw Dihlavī. This copy dates to the tenth century AH / sixteenth CE and has five double-page illustrations in the early Safavid court style. Each double-page illustration introduces the following individual poems: Kitāb-i ḫeyrāt ül-ebrār (fols. 1b-2a), Kitāb-i Ferhād va Şīrīn (fols. 45b-46a), Kitāb-i Mecnūn va Leylā (fols. 108b-109a), Kitāb-i Heşt bihişt (fols. 147b-148a), and Kitāb-i Iskendernāme (fols. 199b-200a). Each poem is also introduced by an illuminated incipit (fols. 2b, 46b, 109b, 148b, and 200b). The brown goatskin binding has a central lobed oval with pendants and cornerpieces brushed with gold. It is possibly attributable to the tenth century AH / sixteenth CE.BaltimoreThe Walters Art MuseumW.663The primary language in this manuscript is Turkish.fols. 1b - 276aḪamse-yi Nevāʾīخمسه نوائيبسم الله الرحمن الرحيم * رشتغه چكتى نيچه در يتيم...Contains Kitāb-i ḫeyrāt ül-ebrār (fols. 1b-2a), Kitāb-i Ferhād va Şīrīn (fols. 45b-46a), Kitāb-i Mecnūn va Leylā (fols. 108b-109a), Kitāb-i Heşt bihişt (fols. 147b-148a), and Kitāb-i Iskendernāme (fols. 199b-200a)

Laid paper

Foliation: 27623.516.517.511.0

Written on versos

Framing lines in blue, black, and goldWritten in black nastaʿlīq script with red section headingsFive double-page illustrations (fols. 1b-2a, 45b-46a, 108b-109a, 147b-148a, and 199b-200a); incipit pages with illuminated titlepieces (fols. 2b, 46b, 109b, 148b, and 200b); framing lines in blue, black, and goldA courtyard sceneḪeyrāt ül-ebrārIllustration; frontispieceThis is the right side of a double-page illustrated frontispiece depicting a courtyard scene with courtiers carrying gifts.A courtyard sceneḪeyrāt ül-ebrārIllustration; frontispieceThis is the left side of a double-page illustrated frontispiece depicting a courtyard scene with a prince receiving gifts. The inscription over the door on the left reads yā Mufattiḥ al-abwāb.Incipit page with illuminated titlepieceḪeyrāt ül-ebrārIncipit; titlepieceThis incipit page has an illuminated titlepiece introducing the first poem of the Ḫamse, inscribed Kitāb-i ḫeyrāt ül-ebrār.Khusraw being entertained in his court with wine and musicFerhād va ŞīrīnIllustration; frontispieceThis is the right side of a double-page illustrated frontispiece depicting Khusraw being entertained in his court with wine and music.Ferhād carrying Şīrīn and her dead horse on his shouldersFerhād va ŞīrīnIllustration; frontispieceThis is the left side of a double-page illustrated frontispiece depicting Ferhād carrying Şīrīn and her dead horse on his shoulders.Incipit page with illuminated titlepieceFerhād va ŞīrīnIncipit; titlepieceThis incipit page has an illuminated titlepiece introducing the second poem of the Ḫamse, inscribed Kitāb-i Ferhād va Şīrīn.Leylā in her pavilion with her attendantsMecnūn va LeylāIllustration; frontispieceThis is the right side of a double-page illustrated frontispiece depicting Leylā in her pavilion with her attendants.Mecnūn in the company of wild animalsMecnūn va LeylāIllustration; frontispieceThis is the left side of a double-page illustrated frontispiece, depicting Mecnūn in the company of wild animals.Inicpit page with illuminated titlepieceMecnūn va LeylāIncipit; titlepieceThis incipit page has an illuminated titlepiece, introducing the third poem of the Ḫamse, inscribed Kitāb-i Mecnūn va Leylā.Bahrām Gūr hunting deer while Fitnah plays the harpHeşt bihiştIllustration; frontispieceThis is the right side of a double-page illustrated frontispiece depicting Bahrām Gūr hunting deer while Fitnah plays the harp.Bahrām Gūr being entertained by his maidHeşt bihiştIllustration; frontispieceThis is the left side of a double-page illustrated frontispiece depicting Bahrām Gūr being entertained by his maid.Incipit page with illuminated titlepieceHeşt bihiştIncipit; titlepieceThis incipit page has an illuminated titlepiece introducing the fourth poem of the Ḫamse, inscribed Kitāb-i Heşt bihişt.Alexander the Great at the side of Darius, the killed Persian kingIskendernāmeIllustration; frontispieceThis is the right side of a double-page illustrated frontispiece depicting Alexander the Great (Iskender) at the side of Darius (Dārā), the killed Persian king.Alexander the Great in search of the fountain of lifeIskendernāmeIllustration; frontispieceThis is the left side of a double-page illustrated frontispiece depicting Alexander the Great (Iskender) in search of the fountain of life.Incipit page with illuminated titlepieceIskendernāmeIncipit; titlepieceThis incipit page has an illuminated titlepiece introducing the fifth poem of the Ḫamse, inscribed Kitāb-i Iskendernāme.

Possibly dates to the tenth century AH / sixteenth CE; brown goatskin (no flap); dentelle style with central lobed oval, pendants, and cornerpieces brushed with gold; doublures of a similar pattern decorated in gold and blue

10th century AH / 16th CETurkeyWalters Art Museum, 1931, by Henry Walters bequestRelevant WorksRieu, Charles. Catalogue of the Turkish Manuscripts in the British Museum. (London: British Museum, 1888), 292.ArtMedicineMuseumPoetryScriptMuhammad, the ProphetKashmiriHorsesWalters Art MuseumBlockbookDocumentGeneologyAstrologyDevotionHistoryLegalLiterature -- PoetryLiterature -- ProseLiturgyPhilosophyScienceScience -- MedicineScriptureSufismTheologyMineralogyLogicGeographyGeomancyCosmologyCartographyFortune-tellingKoranQur`anFirmanPalimpsestPrayerBibleGospelsPsalterMissalLectionaryBook of HoursAntiphonaryPrayerbookHomilaryProcessionalHorologionBreviaryHymnalChroniclePsalter/HoursMaghrebSub-Saharan (West) AfricaTurkeyAfghanistanCentral Arab Lands (Near East)Central AsiaEgyptEnglandIndiaIranIraqPakistanGermanyFranceAustriaNetherlandsEthiopiaArmeniaFlandersGreeceMamlukMughalOttomanOttonianArmenianByzantineAbbasidQajarRajputChristianArabicAustrianDutchEgyptianFatimidGermanIndianIslamicPersianSafavidTimuridTurkishUmayyadEnglishFrenchFlemishEthiopianCarolingianCalligraphyChartsColophonHeadpieceIlluminationIllustrationMedallionMiniatureOrnamentPainting'Kufic'Early Abbasid scriptRaginiRomanesqueGothicWatermarkTreasure BindingGrotesquesHistoriated initialInhabited initialCarolingian MinusculeGothic Book handWhite-vine letteringEnglish secretaryTexturaBatardaHumanisticUncialAccordion bookAlbumBookCodexManuscriptHeraldrySaint's LifeDrawingGrisailleOriginal BindingBindingNew Abbasid stylecharter8th Century9th Century10th Century11th Century12th Century13th Century14th Century15th Century16th Century17th Century18th Century19th Century20th CenturyMusical notationRussiaRomaniaLiturgicalDevotionalScripturalTheologicalLegalHistoricalScientificScientific -- MedicalLiterary -- ProseLiterary -- PoetryPhilosophicalAstrologicalSufiEnglishBookCodexIlluminationIllustrationIslamicManuscriptTurkeyTurkishWalters Art MuseumLiterature -- Poetry