hurouf : the art of the word

Hurouf: The Art of the WordDoha | 16 Dec 2010, 7:00 PM | DO1001

LOT 1

ALI HASSANB. 1956THE GREEN TREE

signed and dated 2010 on the reverse150 by 150cm.; 59 by 59in.

ESTIMATE 18,000 - 22,000 USDLot Sold. Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium: 18,750 USD

PROVENANCEal markhiya gallery, Doha

CATALOGUE NOTEinscription:

Stylised script


LOT 2

KAMRAN DIBAB. 1937DOHA EDITION (FROM GLOBAL NEWSPAPER AND FRONT PAGE SERIES)

signed and dated 10

print and acrylic on canvas

177.5 by 144.5cm.; 69 7/8 by 56 7/8 in.



The word al Haya

In this new series of works Global Newspaper and Front Page inspired by newspapers and current affairs, KamranDiba is responding to the impact of modernity and globalisation, most importantly addressing issues ofcommunication at an international level. He is attempting to address and go beyond the limitations of language, amedium which is perceived by the artist as a potentially divisive instrument that encourages segregation.

The edited sources of news and images are lifted from a host of multi-lingual daily newspapers, being actual copiesof pictures and articles in the international press. Diba painstakingly recreates the news in a collage of visuals andcolours, that transcend the barriers of language and race. By abstracting and reducing the information to colourssymbolising each news topic, the newspaper which normally has a short life-span, is given a visual permanence.

Rendering the black and white illustrations from newspapers, Diba creates compositions with hard edgedabstraction and photo realism which endeavour to contrast the figurative with non-figurative imagery.

Indebted to the Japanese artist On Kawara, Diba is inspired by Kawara's use of archiving global events in asuccinct and abstract manner. Diba embraces his skill of using colour to further enhance the coding of the varioustopics.

This work departs from the rest of the series in that it is not so much a commentary on the divisiveness of languageand cultural barrier, but more a homage to the al-Thani family, whose vision for culture, education and society isdeeply admired by the artist. Visually organising his canvas into the form of a broadsheet, Doha Edition depictssymbols of the city and the legacy of the ruling family in a stimulating graphic narrative that portrays his respect fortheir vision.


LOT 3

HASSAN MASSOUDYB. 1944(I) UNTITLED (JOUBERT)(II) UNTITLED (IBN ZAYDOUN)(III) UNTITLED (ANTOINE DE ST. EXUPERY)

Each: signed twice and dated 2007

pencil and ink on paper, in three parts

Each: 74.5 by 54.5cm.; 29 1/4 by 21 3/8 in.

ESTIMATE 8,000 - 12,000 USD

PROVENANCEAcquired directly from the artist by the present owner


(I) On ne peut trouver de poésie nulle part quand on n'en porte pas en soi - Joubert 1754-1824(II) Nous n'avons eu qu'à faire ployer les rameaux de l'amourDont les fruits s'offraient à nous,pour en cueillir autant que nous désirions. - Ibn Zaydoun XI s.(III) Si tu diffères de moi, frère, loin de me léser, tu m'enrichis. - Antoine de St. Exupéry

(I) You cannot find poetry anywhere if you do not hold it within yourself- Joubert 1754-1824(II) We just have to bend the branches of loveWhose fruits are presented to usTo pick as many as we desire- - Ibn Zaydoun XI century(III) If you are different from me, brother, it's not wrong, on the contrary you enrich me - Antoine de St. Exupéry

Iraq's most famous contemporary calligrapher and an internationally acclaimed artist, these three worksepitomise Hassan Massoudy's virtuoso penmanship and remarkable use of colour.

Born and raised in the profoundly religious town of Najaf, Hassan Massoudy's practice was dominated by a strictcode of artistic conduct that prohibited figurative representation. Massoudy therefore invested his time in creatingdrawings and calligraphies driven by his immediate cultural context.

In 1961, Massoudy chose to leave Najaf and relocated to Baghdad where he was apprenticed to a number ofcalligraphers. Immersion in Baghdad's burgeoning art scene encouraged the artist to dedicate himself to his calling.But the political events that followed forced Massoudy to leave his native Iraq for Paris, and in 1969 he began hisstudies at L'Ecole des Beaux-Arts where he experimented with figurative painting. But for Massoudy it wasimpossible to discard his love of calligraphy and the Arabic language; whilst studying he would design the headlinesfor Arabic magazines, and in time it became his sole focus. Massoudy had come full circle.

His passion was calligraphy and his muse was philosophy, the words and letters he paints are intellectually drivenmanifestations of philosophy and emotion. Massoudy is a master of penmanship producing works of controlledenergy in exquisitely balanced compositions; departing from tradition in his bright palette, the dynamism of hissweeping brushstrokes and his experimentation with light and performance.

In these three vivid works, Massoudy presents lines from three very different writers: the eighteenth century Frenchmoral philosopher Joseph Joubert, the celebrated author of Le Petit Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and theeleventh century Moorish poet Ibn Zaydoun who is renowned for reviving Andalusian poetry. By combining such abroad spectrum of European literary references, Massoudy's brush strokes bring fresh nuances to the Arabic word,informing this distinctly Islamic art with European literature and philosophy. In many ways east and west do finallymeet here in Massoudy's work.


LOT 4

SAMIR SAYEGHB. 1945BARAKA

signed, titled and dated 2010 twice on the reverseacrylic and gold leaf on canvas

99.7 by 99.6cm.; 39 1/4 by 39 1/8 in.




The word Baraka (Blessing)


LOT 5

NASROLLAH AFJEIB. 1933UNTITLED

signed twice; signed and dated 1972/2008 on the reverse; signed, dated 1972/2008 and inscribed Tehran on the stretcheroil on canvas

150.5 by 150cm.; 59 1/4 by 59in.




Stylised script


LOT 7

KAMAL BOULLATAB. 1942ALIF LAM MIM (A.L.M.)

signed on the reverseacrylic on canvas, in three parts

Each: 100 by 50cm.; 39 3/8 by 19 5/8 in.Overall: 100 by 150cm.; 39 3/8 by 59in.Executed in 2009.

ESTIMATE 18,000 - 22,000 USD

PROVENANCEArtspace Gallery, Dubai

EXHIBITIONDubai, Artspace Gallery, Kamal Boullata, 2009, n.p., illustrated in colour


Repetition of the letters alif lam mim, and the opening verse of surah al-baqqarah (II)


LOT 8

MOHAMMAD EHSAIB. 1939UNTITLED

signed and dated 1341 AP/1962 AD89 by 179.5cm.; 35 by 70 5/8 in.


PROVENANCESeyhoun Gallery, TehranAcquired directly from the above by the present owner in 1962


Stylised script


LOT 9

HUSSEIN MADIB. 1938THE ARABIC ALPHABET

signed twice; signed twice, titled, dated 2008 and inscribed A.B.C. on the reverseacrylic on canvas

165 by 165cm.; 65 by 65in.

ESTIMATE 40,000 - 60,000 USD



Codification of the Arabic alphabet

Hussein Madi is widely considered to be one of Lebanon's most important artists, and his experiments withletter form and colour have established him as a master of the Hurufiyyah movement.

Long fascinated with the Arabic script, Madi began work on his Alphabet series in 1973. In much of his work theartist marries a calligraphic line with a more European figurative subject matter, but in this series Madi pushes theboundaries of calligraphy by exploring each letter form, transforming the Arabic alphabet into an inventivecalligraphic code.

In 30 medallions, Madi has reformulated the 28 letters of the Arabic alphabet as well as the combined letters lam-alif, painted onto a mosaic background. In the first roundel, the word Allah precedes the remainder of the alphabetand thereafter he dramatises and experiments with each letter, multiplying them and creating differing compositionsin each sphere.

Inspired by Egyptian hieroglyphics that were largely based both on nature and meaning, Madi creates letter formsthat are simultaneously symbolic and naturalistic. The artist places each of his heavily stylised letters in acartouche, evoking the Pharaonic custom of enclosing their deities in a medallion. This deification ties neatly in tothe spirituality of the Arabic script, especially with regard to the word Allah, and is a clever technique that highlightsand strengthens the impact of the symbol, conveying its importance to language, to faith and to art.

This is arguably one of Hussein Madi's highest achievements, and is a fascinating homage to calligraphy, and theArabic alphabet.


LOT 10

NJA MAHDAOUIB. 1937GRAPHEMES

signedink and gold paint on paper

135 by 135cm.; 53 1/8 by 53 1/8 in.Executed in 2009.




Stylised script


LOT 11

MEHDI SAEEDIB. 1978UNTITLED

signed and dated 88 AP/2009 AD; signed and dated 88 AP/2009 AD on the reverseacrylic on canvas

119.1 by 99.7cm.; 46 7/8 by 39 1/4 in.

ESTIMATE 18,000 - 22,000 USD

PROVENANCEXerxes Art, London


Stylised script


LOT 12

YOUSEF AHMADB. 1955MOVEMENT OF LETTER

signed and dated 08; signed, titled and dated 2008 twice on the reversemixed media on canvas

179.5 by 179.2 by 8.3cm.; 70 5/8 by 70 1/2 by 3 1/4 in.


PROVENANCEArtspace Gallery, DubaiAcquired directly from the above by the present owner in 2008


Stylised script


LOT 13

ALI OMAR ERMESB. 1945THE FOURTH ODE (FROM THE PRIZE POEM SERIES)

signed and dated 1993 twiceacrylic on paper mounted on canvas, in two parts

250.2 by 302.3cm.; 119 by 98 1/2 in.

ESTIMATE 250,000 - 350,000 USD

EXHIBITIONDubai, Meem Gallery; Kuwait City, Dar Al-Funoon, Ali Omar Ermes, 2008, n.p., illustrated in colour

LITERATUREEd. Sajid Rizvi, Reaching Out: Conversations on Islamic Art with Ali Omar Ermes, London 1993, pp. 28-29,illustrated in colour


The full forth ode by the pre-Islamic poet Turfan Ibnu Abd

"Arabic letter forms are the basis of Ermes' paintings, and as such they speak volumes about his beliefs, about theculture from which he comes, and about the ultimate source of his inspiration."Exhibition Catalogue, Dubai, Meem Gallery; Kuwait City, Dar Al-Funoon, Ali Omar Ermes, 2008, n.p.

This magnificent painting is the largest work ever to be offered at public auction by the eminentcalligrapher Ali Omar Ermes, the artist's fascination with Arabic letter forms is truly captured in thismonumental homage to the fourth ode of the Mu'allaqat al Saba'a, the famed Prize Poems.

A world renowned calligrapher, and a fixture on the international art scene, Ali Omar Ermes is one of the mostcelebrated artist/calligraphers of the last thirty-five years.

A painter first and foremost, Ermes' compositions revolve around the letter form of the Arabic alphabet. Working in awide variety of sizes and proportions, the artist challenges calligraphic principles by rearranging passages of textaccording to his own artistic vision, using a range of colours and working on a monumental scale creating rhythmicand captivating compositions that do not require translation. Although the artist flouts tradition in scale, palette andcalligraphic arrangement he continues to work on traditional hand-made paper, as he has in this masterpiece.

Ermes' epic painting The Fourth Ode is the largest of a group of seven paintings that celebrates the Seven Odes ofArabic poetry, al Mu'allaqat al Saba'a, known in English as The Prize Poems. When a poem was judged to beexceptional it was embroidered in gold on silk cloth, and hung at the ka'ba as a sign of general acclaim, thereforeretaining a notable place in the history of Arabic literature.

In this magnificent work, Ermes pays homage to the pre-Islamic poet Turfah Ibnu Abd who wrote the poem. Ermesdepicts the full 106 lines of the ode for which Turfah won such high acclaim. Though he died at the age of 26 andhe pre-dated the Islamic period, Turfah's work has placed him firmly in the pantheon of great Arab poets.

This magnificent painting, with its amalgamation of various letter forms in varying sizes, painted across vastsections of luminous colour is arguably one of Ali Omar Ermes' greatest works to date.


LOT 14

HOUMAM AL SAYEDB. 1981CALLIGRAPHY

signedmixed media on canvas

190 by 150cm.; 74 3/4 by 59in.Executed in 2010.




Stylised script


LOT 16

OMAR BILBEISIB. 1976UNTITLED

signed and dated 2010

acrylic on canvas

70 by 70cm.; 27 1/2 by 27 1/2 in.


PROVENANCEArticulate Baboon, Cairo


Stylised script


LOT 17

CHARLES HOSSEIN ZENDEROUDIB. 1937LOVE

signed twice and dated 69

acrylic on paper mounted on canvas

48.5 by 63.5cm.; 19 1/8 by 25in.


PROVENANCEPrivate Collection, Spain (commissioned directly from the artist)


Stylised script

This seminal work is the transition of Zenderoudi's work from a pure two dimensional alphabetic exerciseto more complex forms.

The multi-coloured layering of the alphabet, with the characters seemingly super imposed onto each other, showsthe transition of Zenderoudi's work as he begins to experiment with more painterly compositions and brushstrokes.


LOT 18

MOHAMMAD EHSAIB. 1939ESHGH KHOSOOSI (LOVE)

signed and dated 1368 AP/1989 ADoil and gold leaf on canvas

102.2 by 72cm.; 40 1/8 by 28 3/8 in.


PROVENANCEShams Gallery, Tehran (acquired directly from the artist)


A couplet by the Persian poet Hafiz

"The sanctuary of love has a threshold beyond reasonThe person who kisses that threshold is the one who is prepared torisk his life"

A rare and important example of Ehsai's work that is inspired by the Persian lyric poet Hafiz, rather than thegraphic letter form.

The genius of Hafiz is still widely recognised today, mainly thanks to the lasting impact of his literary innovation. Hewas responsible for developing the 'song of love', as the ghazal is known, into its accepted form. It is now anestablished genre of Arabic poetry, having infiltrated the other classical languages of the medieval Islamic empireincluding Turkish, Persian and Urdu, in whose literary traditions the ghazal can now be found. Hafiz was a linguisticand literary craftsman who revolutionised poetry in the Islamic lands, becoming one of its pre-eminent and mostdistinguished poets, and whose works have been described variously as 'exquisite' and 'sublime'.

Love and passion, although not Qur'anic themes, have attained substantial importance in mysticism and Arabicsecular literature. Many of Islam's epic poems deal with unrequited love and its attendant madness, as well as thebeauty of true love, passion and faithfulness. All the great theologians, poets and artists have made statements onthe varying degrees and manifestations of love and it is no wonder that Ehsai drew on Hafiz for inspiration. Theflame red, gold and black are the perfect foil for the couplet, and are a powerful visual reminder of the ghazal, the'song of love'.


LOT 19

SADEGH TABRIZIB. 1939UNTITLED

signedoil and gold leaf on canvas in artist's frame

179.5 by 180.3cm.; 70 5/8 by 71in.Executed in 2008.



Stylised script


LOT 20

PARVIZ TANAVOLIB. 1937HEECH

signed, stamped and numbered 6/6 on the basebronze

40 by 19 by 12cm.; 15 3/4 by 7 1/2 by 4 3/4 in.Executed in 2005, this work is number 6 from an edition of 6.


PROVENANCEAcquired directly from the artist by the previous ownerAcquired directly from the above by the present owner


The letter ha


LOT 21

ALI TOYB. 1960ALLAH


ebru, ink and gold leaf on paper

45 by 64cm.; 17 3/4 by 25 1/8 in.




The word Allah

Drawing on strong architectural and geometric forms, Ali Toy's calligraphy is a modernist approach to an Ottomanart form; and is a style of script that could be described as constructivist in its simplicity and rigour.

The Ottoman period is renowned for the perfection of naskhi script.Students would invest years of practice with the great masters to achieve precision in this neat and scholarly hand.Toy departs from the principles of naskh and the Ottoman format by developing a script that is strong, graphic andminimalist, but no less precise.

Interestingly, whilst he departs from calligraphic tradition, Toy has adopted a very traditional presentation. In his useof marbled paper, and in maintaining the landscape orientation of the work, Toy recalls the poetry and calligraphyexercises of the Ottoman period. The combination is a hugely successful union of the traditional and the modernist.


LOT 22

PROF. FUAD KOUICHI HONDAB. 1946THE GREEN COSMOS

ink, gouache and pen on paper

174.5 by 135.3cm.; 68 3/4 by 53 3/8 in.Executed in 2006.


LITERATUREHonda Takakazu, The Cosmos of Arabic Calligraphy: The Works of Fuad Kouichi Honda, Hakusuisha 2006, p. 76,illustrated in colour


Qur'an, surah al-baqarah (II), verse 255 (ayat al-kursi)


LOT 23

MOHAMED KANOOB. 1963LA' (NO)

titledacrylic on canvas

130.5 by 130cm.; 51 3/8 by 51 1/8 in.Executed in 2009.



The word La' (No)

Quite clearly inspired by the Argentine-born artist Lucio Fontana, Mohamed Kanoo transforms standard calligraphyinto a conceptual and sculptural triumph. In 1959, Fontana began the so-called Slash Series of paintings thatfeatured precisely cut and slashed painted canvases. A trained sculptor, these works draw on concepts of mass,movement, time and space by transforming a flat and one dimensional surface into something else entirely - simplyby introducing the space behind the canvas.

Kanoo began producing his own slash paintings by merging the slash with Arabic script, in this case the word for'no' La', thus the artist introduces a conceptual and cultural identity to a work that is also driven by physics and thephilosophy of time.


LOT 24

BURHAN DOGANCAYB. 1929CALLIGRAPHIC GAZELLE (FROM THE RIBBONS SERIES)


Gouache on paper

75.5 by 56cm.; 29 3/4 by 22in.


PROVENANCECollection of Didier Charlet, Paris (acquired directly from the artist in 1981)Private Collection, Switzerland (acquired directly from the above)


Stylised script

Heavily inspired by the use of the wall as a means of expression, Dogancay's Ribbons Series sources monumentalraw material from flat wall surfaces and creates delicate and more intimate dialogues between politics and his ownabstract calligraphy.

Deteriorating surfaces are beautiful to Dogancay. The various elements of colour, light, shadow and textureinfluence his sketches, photography and his writings. As with Calligraphic Gazelle, his observations of daily urbanlife lead to these memorable, calligraphic, layered compositions using paint and occasionally incorporating actualposters and found materials. Each of his works is an artistic expression and it is no wonder that he is one ofTurkey's most highly acclaimed artists. Combining graffiti-style script with the beauty he perceives in naturallydecaying walls, Calligraphic Gazelle is a textured painting that harmonises the harshness of political posters withthe sensitivity of Dogancay's hand.


LOT 25

KHALED BEN SLIMANEB. 1951ASCENSION VIII

acrylic on canvas

190 by 400cm.; 63 by 157 1/2 in.Executed in 2010.




Repetition of the word Allah, and others of His ninety-nine names


LOT 26

HAMID AJAMIB. 1962UNTITLED


oil on canvas, in four parts

Each: 169 by 70.7cm.; 66 1/2 by 27 5/8 in.Overall: 169 by 282cm.; 66 1/2 by 111in.

ESTIMATE 10,000 - 15,000 USD



Repetition of the word Allah


LOT 27

GURKAN PEHLIVANB. 1970TAWAKALTU ALA ALLAH (I PLACE MY TRUST IN GOD)

signed and dated 1431 AH/2010 ADink on paper

90 by 165cm.; 35 3/8 by 65in.




Qur'an, surah hud (XI), verse 56:

'I put my trust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord! There is not a moving [living] creature but He has grasp of itsforelock. Verily, my Lord is on the Straight Path [the truth]'

Surrounded by the description of the physical attributes of the Prophet Muhammad


LOT 28

FARHAD MOSHIRIB. 1963095TTV

signed, titled and dated Spring 2005 twice on the reverseoil, acrylic, gold leaf and glue on canvas

174.7 by 260.5cm.; 68 3/4 by 102 1/2 in.


PROVENANCEPrivate Collection, Tehran (acquired directly from the artist)


A series of letters and numbers

Drawing inspiration from the clash of modernity and tradition in contemporary Iranian culture, Farhad Moshiri'soeuvre contemplates in numerous ways the existential crisis inherent to the modern Middle East.

In this series of works featuring numbers and letters overlaid and intertwined to form either an abstract design or ameaningful pattern depending on the perspective, Moshiri combines two very distinct artistic traditions in a visualpuzzle drawing on optical illusion.

To a western eye, without knowledge of Arabic letters and numerals or Islamic tradition, this canvas has anintentionally abstract expressionist quality that can be likened to the works of Willem de Kooning dating from thelatter half of the 1940s. Suffering financially during this period, de Kooning turned to household enamels in blackand white with which to execute his paintings. He completed a series of works that were essentially either black onwhite ground, or white on black ground exploring the automatic drift of his hand across the canvas. These dynamicpaintings and particularly Attic (1949) in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York are closely comparable toMoshiri's numerological canvases.

To the middle eastern eye the canvas clearly draws on the traditions of magic and numerology that are alive andwell in many provincial pockets of the region, and which was certainly a thriving custom until the late nineteenthcentury. The recognition of magical forces in Islamic culture manifested itself in many ways, from magic bowlsinscribed with numerals and symbols that would cure the patient if he drank from it, to talismanic shirts wornbeneath armour that protected the soldier in battle.

For centuries mystic thinkers of the Islamic world pondered the hidden significance of letters, giving them not only aphonetic value but also an arithmetic one. These arithmetic values gave much room for interpretation, for predictingthe future, for finding divinity in the written word and for many other purposes. The abjad system was a codificationof the Arabic alphabet that applied numerical values to each letter and was used on scientific instruments, and fortalismanic codes and magical operations.

In this canvas, Moshiri cleverly combines the modern fundamentally western aesthetic of Abstract Expressionismwith an essentially Islamic concept of numerology, and the final result is both a subtle commentary and an elegantwork of art.


LOT 29

ZOULIKHA BOUABDELLAHB. 1977HOBB (LOVE)

aluminium

80 by 167 by 5cm.; 31 1/2 by 65 3/4 by 2in.Executed in 2010, this work is unique.


EXHIBITIONDubai, Gallery Isabelle Van Den Eynde, Zoulikha Bouabdellah - Set Me Free from My Chains, 2010


Repetition of the word Hobb (Love)

AUTHENTICATIONThis work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity signed by the artist


LOT 31

LULWAH AL-HOMOUDB. 1967ALLAH (FROM THE LANGUAGE OF EXISTENCE SERIES)

signed, titled, dated 2008 and numbered 5/20

silkscreen on paper

120 by 89cm.; 47 1/4 by 35in.


LITERATUREExhibition Catalogue, London, SOAS Brunei Gallery, Edge of Arabia, 2008, n.p., illustrated




LOT 32

KATAYOUN ROUHIB. 1965UT POESIS PICTURA (AS IS PAINTING, SO IS POETRY)

signed and dated 89 AP/2010 AD; signed and dated 2010 on the reverseoil and paper collage on canvas

162 by 130cm.; 63 3/4 by 51 1/8 in.



Verses from the artist's own poem


LOT 33

MOHAMED EL BAZB. 1967THE CONFERENCE OF THE BIRDS

photograph, neon, wood and glass in artist's frame, in three parts

Each: 162.5 by 123.5cm.; 64 by 48 5/8 in.Overall: 162.5 by 370cm.; 64 by 145 5/8 in.Executed in 2010, this work is unique.


PROVENANCEPrivate Collection, Dubai

EXHIBITIONDubai, Al Bastakiya Art Fair, FOUR, 2010


(I) The word al Ahram, title of the Egyptian newspaper(II) The word al Hayat, title of the Lebanese newspaper(III) The word al Quds, title of the Palestinian newspaper


LOT 34

MOUNIR FATMIB. 1970TÊTE DURE

signed, titled, dated 2006 twice, numbered 1/1 and inscribed Est-ce qu'il se ne ressamblant? / Ceux qui savent ou ceux qui ne

savent pas? on the reverseacrylic and gold paint on canvas

200 by 250cm.; 78 3/4 by 98 3/8 in.


PROVENANCEPrivate Collection, France


Qur'an, surah al-zumar (XXXIX), verse 9

"Are those equal, those who know and those who do not know?"


LOT 35

HAJI NOOR DEEN MI GUANG JIANGB. 1963KHARIYTAH AL-'ALAM (THE MAP OF THE WORLD)

signed, stamped with the artist's seal, titled and dated 1341 AH/2010 AD twiceink and watercolour on paper mounted on canvas

142 by 247cm.; 55 7/8 by 97 1/4 in.Executed in 2010, this work is unique.


PROVENANCEAthr Gallery, Jeddah




LOT 36

MOHAMMED AL SHAMMAREYB. 1962SHRINE (MAQAM)

signed twice, titled and dated 2010

giclee print and acrylic on canvas

101 by 136.5cm.; 39 3/4 by 53 3/4 in.



Repetition of the word Maqam (Shrine)


LOT 37

LAILA SHAWAB. 1940AGAINST THE WALL (FROM WALLS OF GAZA III SERIES)

signed and dated 89-09; signed, titled, dated 1989-2009 and numbered 1/3 on the stretcherdigital print and mixed media on canvas

100.2 by 147.7cm.; 39 3/8 by 58 1/8 in.Executed in 2009, this work is number 1 from an edition of 3.

ESTIMATE 20,000 - 25,000 USD

EXHIBITIONif Galerie, Paris, co-incidences, 2010, another example exhibited

LITERATUREGerard Houghton, "When She Dreams of Gaza: Laila Shawa", in: Canvas, Vol. 6, September/October 2010, p. 16&p. 132 (detail), illustrations of another example in colour


Political slogans

A native of Gaza, it is impossible for Laila Shawa not to be inspired by her surroundings; as a result Against theWall is simultaneously a means of expression and an artistic achievement. In balancing colour and palette, andoverlaying and repeating the forms to create a sense of depth and symmetry, Shawa's work is undeniably a work ofart. Yet it takes inspiration from a typical Arab wall in its use of slogans, the simplistic style of the graffiti, therepeated stencils and the incorporation of the cartoon boy Hanthala. The political cartoonist Naji al-Ali's image ofHanthala is graffitied across Palestine, he is found on walls and reproduced on key chains, and is considered to bethe visual representation of the Palestinian struggle. Thus this work is conceptually driven, politically motivated andaesthetically refined.

Against the Wall is an accurate representation of a middle-eastern wall, a highly visible and unmonitored means ofexpression. A form of inner-city literacy, it is one of the ways in which artists, poets and even the common man cancommunicate their feelings and opinions however great or small, whether artistic or not, for others to witness andconsider in their daily lives.

The artist's statement;

"The graffiti on the walls in Palestine, and particularly in Gaza during the uprising against Israel occupation, was aresult of the banning of any kind of media by the Israelis, such as newspapers, radio or television to thePalestinian's. Therefore the Palestinian's had to resort to using the Walls of their city to communicate with eachother, sometimes calling for resistance or civil disobedience, and at times actually praising or denouncing aparticular situation. My use of the repeated figure of "Hanthala" is a reference to the large number of children killedin the last brutal attack on Gaza in 2009 by the Israeli air force . This work is not your usual inter-city literacy, asseen in other Middle Eastern cities."


LOT 38

BITA GHEZELAYAGHB. 1966FELT MEMORIES - ARE BULLETS THE ANSWER TO FLOWERS

metal and embroidery on felt in Plexiglas box

126.4 by 126.4cm.; 49 3/4 by 49 3/4 in.Executed in 2009.


PROVENANCEPrivate Collection, London


Javab gol goulgouleh ast? (Are bullets the answer to flowers?)

Previously an architect and art director of several Iranian films, Ghezelayagh has been combining talismanicsymbols and embroidery on felt since 2004. Ghezelayagh feels that it embodies qualities such as simplicity andresilience, which she notices are often disregarded in Iran's march to modernity.

Her tunics and capes are felt canvasses on which she expresses her memories of growing up in Iran. She foundherself heavily influenced by post-revolutionary visual popular culture particularly its symbols of resistance,protection and martyrdom and has sought a new visual language that embraces tradition and modernity through aunique combination of ancient signs, symbols and calligraphy with conceptual art.


LOT 39

HASSAN MEERB. 1972HOUSE II

photograph

150 by 115cm.; 59 by 45¼in.Executed in 2009, this work is number 2 from an edition of 3.



Verses by the Omani poet Asma Issa, and the artist's grandfather


LOT 40

AFSHIN PIRHASHEMIB. 1974UNTITLED

Each: signedoil and silver paint on canvas, in two parts

Overall (including frame): 130 by 235.3cm.; 51 1/8 by 92 5/8 in.Executed in 2009.

ESTIMATE 50,000 - 70,000 USD

PROVENANCEHoma Gallery, TehranAcquired directly from above by the present owner


Two couplets by the Persian poet Jalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi


LOT 41

LALLA ESSAYDIB. 1956CONVERGING TERRITORIES #22ABS

Right panel: signed, titled and numbered 8/15 on a label affixed to the reversechromogenic print mounted on aluminium, in three parts

Each: 101.5 by 83.5cm.; 40 by 32 7/8 in.Overall: 101.5 by 250cm.; 40 by 98 3/8 in.Executed in 2003, this work is number 8 from an edition of 15 and was printed in 2008.



Phrases from the artist's own poems and diaries


LOT 42

ARMAN STEPANIANB. 1956UNTITLED

signed, dated 2008 and numbered 2/7

cibachrome print

Image: 98.5 by 65.5cm.; 38 3/4 by 25 3/4 in.Overall: 124.2 by 91.2cm.; 48 7/8 by 35 7/8 in.




Stylised script


LOT 43

NURJANB. 1987ALLAH TEARDROP

Swarowski crystals on slate



PROVENANCEMica Gallery, London


The word Allah

Inspired by her British/Turkish/Cypriot/Pakistani heritage, Nurjan, at the tender age of 23years, has emerged as oneof London's freshest and brightest creative stars. Her exotic influences are captured in her work, which is a fusion ofstyles and influences. Specializing in Swarovski crystals, Nurjan trained at the University of the Arts and began toexplore different ways of personal expression through art fusing Eastern and Western influences. Each piece isexclusive and never reproduced. She has been working on a special collection juxtaposing the sparkle and beautyof Swarovski crystal against more natural mediums like slate and copper.

As a branded partner for CRYSTALLIZED Swarovski Elements, Nurjan has been commissioned by a number ofcelebrities including Kimora Lee Simmons and has her work in various private collections including Aisha andJames Caan (of Dragons Den), Ahlya Fateh (MD of TataNaka and ex-editor of Tatler), Kristiane Backer (Author andTV presenter) and Faiza Seth (CEO of CasaForma). Nurjan has exhibited at the Mica Gallery South Kensington, atSomerset House in the presence of HRH Crown Prince of Malaysia, at Battersea Power Station in the presence ofHRH Prince Hassan Bin Talal of Jordan and HRH Princess Badiyah of Jordan. Nurjan was selected out of severalhundred emerging artist to create a 'Mosaic of Talent' for their Royal Highnesses, collaborating with Khaver Idrees,which was a special memento to their VIP guests. Nurjan has also exhibited with Candida Arts centre in IslingtonLondon as part of The Three Faiths Forum 'WomenArTogether' exhibition. Most recently, one of her SwarovskiCrystal pieces raised £12,500 at a charity auction for The James Caan Foundation.

The artist's statement;

Allah is our creator. Art cannot portray the almighty but the brilliance and sparkling mystical spirit of the Swarovskicrystal is intended to capture the beauty of God. This piece consists of thousands of tiny Swarovski crystals, eachskillfully hand applied over time, capturing the spirit of traditional Islamic art techniques, which are so lost in thechaos of modern living. One of the 99 names of Allah is An-Nur, meaning The Light. Nurjan is drawn to iridescentbeauty of Swarovski crystal because it creates an array of light, sparkle and splendor that no other medium canconvey. The colour chosen (crystal aurore boreale) has a special coated effect, mirroring that of diamonds. As theaudience view the artwork from various angles, the colours change along with the sparkle from different viewpointscreating an almost magical effect on the onlooker forcing them to stop and reflect on the wonder of God. I havechosen to place Allah in the shape of a teardrop to symbolize the peak of ones spiritual journey.

"When submitting to the oneness of God, during prayer tears often roll from my eyes, tears that wash away thechaos, the conflict, the pain, the hedonism around me, lifting my soul to a higher level" Nurjan.


LOT 44

JAMSHID BAYRAMIB. 1961RHAPSODY

Each: signed on the reverse; titled, dated 2006-2010 and numbered 1/1+2AP on a label affixed to the reversedigital print on canvas, in three parts

Each: 216 by 109.5cm.; 85 by 43 2/8in.Overall: 216 by 328.5cm.; 85 by 129 3/8in.Executed in 2006, this work is from an edition of 1 plus 2 artist's proofs and was printed in 2010.


PROVENANCEXerxes Art, London


Stylised script


LOT 45

AHMED MOUSTAFAB. 1943INTERIOR IN THE EXTERIOR

signed and dated 1407 AH/1987 ADtapestry

258 by 416cm.; 101 1/5 by 163 3/4 in.Executed in 1987, this work is unique and is woven by Pinton, Felletin-Aubusson, France in 1988.


EXHIBITIONRome, Pontificia Universitas Gregoriana; Sarajevo, The National Gallery; Barcelona, Museu Diocesà, Where theTwo Oceans Meet, 1997-1998



"God there is no deity save Him, the Ever-Living, the Self-subsistent Fount of All Being. Neither slumber overtakesHim, nor sleep. His is all that is in the heavens and that is on earth. Who is there that could intercede with Him,unless it be by His leave? He knows all that lies before men and all that is hidden from them, whereas they cannotattain to aught of His knowledge save that which He wills. His eternal power overspreads the heavens and theearth, and their upholding wearies Him not. And He alone is truly exalted, tremendous."

The above cited Qur'anic verse is the source of inspiration for this composition. The vision of absolute power anddominion to which the words give expression is as though condensed into the image of a giant black cube placedinto the interior of another cube imbued with light. The text of the verse is displayed on the walls of the luminouscube and figures in gold-lettered ribbons three times on the sides of the black cube.

The binary oppositions to which the text gives expression heaven and earth, what is perceptible to man and what ishidden from him are visually echoed by a series of binary oppositions within the composition, most notably thecontrast between the alignment of the exterior and the interior cubes. Particularly striking in this respect is the sharpedge of the latter which divides the composition right down the middle. It faces the viewer head-on with suchchallenge that the entire black cube appears about to spring into motion in order to penetrate both heart and mind.

The words which straddle this crucial edge in threefold repetition are ma bayna aydihim, translated in the renderingcited above as 'all that lies before men'. The Arabic phrase, however, is an idiom which literally translated means'that which is between their hands'. Seen in combination with this wording, the cutting edge of the cube comes tosymbolise 'between-ness' as such - the dividing line which marks all dualities and oppositions and renders them,and with it the visible world as such, perceptible to man. Behind that edge are the four sides of the black cube whichremain hidden from view, suggestive of an invisible expanse encompassed by the divine presence which as theverse affirms alone overcomes division.

Originally produced in oil and water colour, the composition was woven into a tapestry by the Pinton company ofweavers which was founded in 1767. The best among the heirs of a tradition of high quality, with its unrivalledreputation, Pinton is and has been for quite some time the major tapestry-maker in Aubusson (in fact Felletin, itssister-town). Through the quality of its productions and through its connections with major artists it has played aleading role in the rebirth of modern tapestry. Notably, it was entrusted with the weaving of the largest tapestry inthe world, designed by Graham Sutherland and commissioned for the Cathedral of Coventry. Several of AhmedMoustafa's compositions were woven into tapestries by Pinton, notably the Trilogy of the Arab Horse (1981) whichwas commissioned by the Ministry of Public Works of the State of Qatar for the conference centre of the DohaSheraton. Among the artists who had tapestries woven at Pinton studios are Arp, Bazaine, Calder, Le Corbusier,Sonia Delauny, Dufy, Picard le Doux, Fernand Leger, Lurcat, Ubac, Vasarely and Zadkine.

Dr. Stefan Sperl

Senior Lecturer in ArabicSchool of Oriental and African StudiesLondon


LOT 46

GEORGE LEWISB. 1974BINT AL BASEERA (THE LADY WITH INSIGHT)

signed and dated 2010 on the reversegouache and acrylic on paper

53 by 70.8cm.; 20 7/8 by 27 7/8 in.



Excerpt from the writings of the Arab scholar and philosopher, Al-Tahawani

"Vision enlightens the Soul.

Vision casts into the soul the sacred, divine light which reveals the inner reality of being, just as physical sightbrings to the mind the outer shape of things.

In its basic form, philosophers call vision the sighted rationality. When kindled by divine light and unveiled by theguidance of truth then philosophers call it the sacred power."


LOT 47

ZAKARIA RAMHANIB. 1983FACES OF YOUR OTHER 38 (FROM DE DROITE À GAUCHE SERIES)

signed199.5 by 240cm.; 78 1/2 by 94 1/2 in.Executed in 2010.

ESTIMATE 20,000 - 22,000 USD

PROVENANCEArtspace Gallery, Dubai


Stylised script


LOT 48

HAMZA BOUNOUAB. 1979FIGURES IN LETTERS

signed; signed, titled and dated 2010 on the backing board120 by 120cm.; 47 1/4 by 47 1/4 in.



EXHIBITIONNew York, Agora Gallery, Journey into Art, 2010Kuwait City, Dar Al-Funoon, Art in Kuwait, 2010

LITERATUREExhibition Catalogue, New York, Agora Gallery, Journey into Art, 2010, n.p., illustrated in colour


Stylised script


LOT 49

ALI HASSANB. 1956NOON (N)

signed and dated 2010 on the reverse150 by 200cm.; 59 by 78 3/4 in.

ESTIMATE 20,000 - 25,000 USD

PROVENANCEal markhiya gallery, Doha


The letter noon


LOT 50

RACHID KORAÏCHIB. 1947AHMED EZAATAR

signed and numbered 1/2 on the basebronze

210 by 164 by 105.5cm.; 82 3/4 by 64 1/2 by 41 1/2 in.Executed between 1985-2009, this work is number 1 from an edition of 2 plus, 1 Artist's proof.




The artist's own pictograms

There are arguably few highly accomplished sculptors in the Middle East, but Koraichi is firmly placed inthis pantheon with this outstanding work of art his largest sculpture ever to be offered at public auction.Simultaneously imposing, intellectual and spiritual, it is one of his most important works to date and istruly of museum quality.

Throughout the region, artists of the mid-twentieth century were inspired by local culture. In North Africa Berbersymbols, magical insignia and Islamic motifs were incorporated into mainstream art. In keeping with the hurufiyyahmovement, Koraichi utilises symbols, words and talismanic squares taken from local culture that draw upon theIslamic tradition of magic bowls and talismans, protecting the wearer from harm and black magic, as well asabsorbing west and north African indigenous icons and beliefs. Yet Koraichi looks outside the boundaries of hisimmediate locale and is inspired and influenced by extensive international travel, with clear parallels to Far Easternpictograms notably the phonetic Japanese alphabet Hiragana.

In 1980 Koraichi began developing an etching inspired by Ahmad al Azaatar, a poem written by the celebratedPalestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish, that paid tribute to the struggle within the eponymous refugee camp during theLebanese Civil War. In August of 1976, this camp was destroyed and the number of victims reached the thousands.Koraichi's etching and Darwish's poem were both published in Une Nation en l'Exil and were conceived as a eulogyto those who lost their lives (Edition Fondation Shoman, Amman). In 2009, Koraichi revisited his iconic symbol andcompleted the work he had begun thirty years before by casting the sculpture as he had always intended.

In creating this highly individual and esoteric symbol, emblematic of revolution, of peace, of loss, of magic and spirit,of Arabia and the Orient, the artist frees the letter form - creating something that is conversely, not esoteric at all. Inits lack of linguistic sense, in its liberated form, this becomes a universal symbol: a pictogram that can beappreciated by any viewer and any culture, both for what it is and what it is not. Whilst his inspiration is deeplyrooted in his Algerian heritage, Koraichi is truly an international artist whose works speak to a global audience.


LOT 51

SALWA ZEIDANALLAH

Each: signed, titled, dated 2007 and numbered consecutively No. 1-6 on the reverseacrylic on canvas, in six parts

Each: 50 by 50cm.; 19 5/8 by 19 5/8 in.Executed in 2007, this work is unique.



LITERATUREAbu Dhabi, Salwa Zeidan Gallery, In Light, 2009, n.p., illustrated in colour


Repetition of the words Allah and Huwa (He)


LOT 52

MOUMTAZ KIOMOLAHDHATOU CHAGHAF (A MOMENT OF PASSION)

signed and dated 10

analog and digital mixed media on canvas

150 by 100cm.; 59 by 39 3/8 in.Executed in 2010, this work is unique.



The phrases Hal anta jahiz? "Are you ready?" Lahza "A Moment" Hubb hayati "Love of My Life"


LOT 53

FATHI HASSANB. 1957HARAM ALEIKUM (SHAME ON YOU)

signed, titled and dated 2010 twice on the reversemixed media on board in Plexiglas frame

67.4 by 50.6cm.; 26 1/2 by 23 1/2 in.


PROVENANCEPrivate Collection, London


Repetition of the phrase Haram aleikum (Shame on you)


LOT 54

MAQBUL FIDA HUSAINB. 1915ALLAH


41.5 by 29.5cm.; 16 3/8 by 11 5/8 in.



The word Allah


LOT 55

MAQBUL FIDA HUSAINB. 1915AL QAF

signed, titled and dated 010

41.5 by 29.5cm.; 16 3/8 by 11 5/8 in.



Repetition of the letter qaf


LOT 56

KHALED BEN SLIMANEB. 1951(I) UNTITLED(II) UNTITLED

(I) signed and dated 2004

(II) signed and dated 2006

(I) painted and glazed ceramic with metal base, in five parts(II) painted and glazed ceramic with metal base, in four parts

(I) 181 by 22 by 22cm.; 71 1/4 by 8 5/8 by 8 5/8 in.(II) 147.2 by 21 by 21cm.; 58 1/8 by 8 1/4 by 8 1/4 in.



(I)-(II) Various spiritual phrases


LOT 57

FATEMA AL MAZROUIEB. 1913ARABIC KOHL (FROM THE HERITAGE COLLECTION SERIES)

acrylic and mixed media on wood

110 by 160cm.; 43 1/4 by 63in.Executed in 2010.


PROVENANCESalwa Zeidan Gallery, Abu Dhabi

EXHIBITIONAbu Dhabi, Emirates Heritage Club, Green Art Abu Dhabi, 2010


A poem on Arabic kohl by an Emirati poet


LOT 58

KHOLOUD SHARAFIB. 198710:11:19

mixed media on fibreboard, in two parts

233 by 245cm.; 91 3/4 by 96 1/2 in.Executed in 2010, this work is unique.



Lyrics from a song by the Egyptian singer Umm Kulthoum


LOT 59

SHIRINE OSSEIRANB. 1977(I) JAMEEL(II) LAYLA(III) SAFAR

Each: signed and dated 2010 twice on the reverseacrylic on board, in three parts

Each: 42 by 33.2cm.; 16 1/2 by 13in.



Various phrases


LOT 60

AISHA CAANB. 1959ALLAH, THE PROVIDER

Right panel: signed and dated 2008

oil on canvas, in two parts

Each: 101.5 by 76cm.; 40 by 29 7/8 in.Overall: 101.5 by 152cm.; 40 by 59 7/8 in.



The words Allah, al Razaq (Allah, the Provider)


LOT 61

CHARLES HOSSEIN ZENDEROUDIB. 1937SAHRAYE IRAN (THE IRANIAN DESERT)


acrylic on canvas

122 by 150cm.; 48 by 59in.




Stylised script


LOT 62

MOHAMMAD EHSAIB. 1939MOHABBAT (KINDNESS)

signed and dated 1386 AP/2007 ADoil on canvas

146.9 by 147cm.; 57 3/4 by 57 7/8 in.


PROVENANCEAcquired directly from the artist by the present owner in 2008


The word Mohabbat (Kindness)


LOT 63

PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF MOHAMMAD JAMALADINY


signed twiceink on canvas

114.2 by 119cm.; 45 by 46 7/8 in.Executed in 2008.




A couplet by the Persian poet Hafiz

Much like the celebrated naturalistic artist Sohrab Sepehri, Nasrollah Afjei sought inspiration from the world aroundhim. As a child he would go to the desert and paint the trees and the rolling landscapes, he would visit the sea andtry to capture the form of the waves; but unlike Sepehri he chose to express the world around through calligraphy.The essential power of the earth and sea, the curve of the landscape and the freedom of the wind are all capturedin his dynamic and perspective driven works that form horizons and mountains with the word.

Afjei believes calligraphy is a universal language anyone can enjoy, much like the colour field artists of the 60s and70s who stripped back landscapes into fields of colour, and created minimalist works to appeal to primal emotionrather than drawing on recognition and association, Afjei utilises the word. Like an engineer, the angles in his scriptare precisely thought out and he is constantly pushing his own boundaries through trial and experimentation.


LOT 64

MOHAMMAD EHSAIB. 1939UNTITLED

signed and dated 1351 AP/1972 ADoil on canvas

70 by 99.5cm.; 27 1/2 by 39 1/8 in.


PROVENANCEAquired directly from the artist by the previous owner Private Collection, Iran (acquired directly from the above)


Stylised script


LOT 65

SADEQUAIN1930 - 1987SURAH AL-RAHMAN


oil and ink on canvas

94.7 by 152cm.; 37 1/4 by 59 3/4 in.


PROVENANCECollection of M.A. Khan (acquired directly from the artist)Private Collection, London (acquired directly from the above by the present owner)

LITERATUREDr. Salman Ahmad, The Legend of Sadequain: Renaissance of Calligraphic Art in Pakistan, La Mesa 2010, p. 10,illustrated in colour


Qur'an, surah al-rahman (LV), verse 19

'He has made the two seas to flow freely (so that) they meet together,Between them is a barrier which they cannot pass.'

A master of calligraphy, Sadequain fast became one of Pakistan's most celebrated artists. This outstandingexample of his work illustrates his radical departure from established calligraphic norms.

Devoting the majority of his life to the art of the pen, Sadequain's unabashed departure from calligraphic traditionand the generosity with which he distributed his works, led to his name being synonymous with calligraphy inPakistan and the Middle East. He was a legend in his own time and is single-handedly responsible for therenaissance of Pakistani calligraphy.

Searching for a new manner of expression, Sadequain was the first, and ultimately the most famous Pakistani touse calligraphy for both religious and artistic purposes. In a short period of time, he had made a huge impact on thecalligraphic world and ushered in what has been described as a calligraphic revolution. Inspiring a generation ofcalligraphers by encouraging experimentation and innovation, in what had arguably become a stagnant art form.

In this exquisite work, the calligraphy and its aesthetic dominate the image, conveying the essential meaning of thescript without requiring translation. Even for those who cannot comprehend the inscription, the power and majestyof the words is evident. Sadequain focused on preserving the mystical power of the letter and the concepts behindthe word, through visual representation.

Sadequain painted this work in 1985 as part of a series in which he separated the individual refrains of Surah al-Rahman which he began in 1969. This particular painting is by far the most moving, and evokes the calm serenityof the sea. Surah al-Rahman, The Beneficent, is the fifty-fifth surah of the Qur'an and is often described as 'thebeauty' of the Qur'an.

Here the artist chooses to illustrate verses nineteen and twenty, separating the two seas of dark blue and dustygreen with a forbidding barrier in white script framed in black, the calligraphy itself forms the "barrier which theycannot pass". Inspired by the medieval Islamic script thuluth, Sadequain elongates the letters generally used in boldinscriptions on facades of religious buildings, or in large copies of the Qur'an visually, calligraphically andconceptually linking this work to its spiritual inspiration.

To this day Sadequain is highly respected for his skill, the way in which he enriched dry traditional forms with alyricism and artistry that is second to none and his influence on the generations of artists that followed his calling.


LOT 66

GOHAR QALAMB. 1956SUPPLICATION OF RAHMA


ink, gouache, silver and gold leaf on paper

96 by 60cm.; 37 3/4 by 23 5/8 in.



Qur'an, surah yusuf (XII), verse 64

'Allah is better at guarding and He is the most Merciful of those who show mercy.'

In this exquisite and poignant work, Gohar Qalam has combined a shaded green background with floating Arabiccalligraphy in a soaring lagoon.

In the backdrop of this painting the letters are lit with a delicate but radiant light and are composed in a circularmovement. The circle alludes not only to the movement around the Kaa'ba, but also the orbits of the planets, theirvery shapes, which are also in a circular format.

The buoyant letters in a sea of blue and green also recall the Ocean of Infinity without a shore and also allude to thelast verse "Were the sea to become Ink..." of Surah Kahf. The background is in shades of blue and green with theletters in pale pearlescent inks as if floating in their surroundings and thus creating a peaceful and magical effect ofa calm sea. In this composition, in green gold leaf, the Ha and Kha shapes are below the base line while the uprightAlif's lie above the base. The highlighting of the script with deep green edging to the gold leaf gives a threedimensional feel to the work.

The inspiration of the painting is derived from several Verses of the Holy Quran, since Rahma or Divine Mercy issent down like water when it falls from the sky thus renewing the earth. The artist has been inspired from thefollowing Verses "And He it is Who from Water hath created Man" (Surah Al Furqan V 54) and "Have not the infidelsseen that the heavens and the earth were of one piece. Then We rifted them asunder and from Water made everyliving thing. (Surah Anbiya V 30) and "He it is Who created the Heavens and the earth in six days and His Thronewas upon Water (Surah Hud, V 7).

More importantly the painting is directly inspired from the Immortal waters of Life specifically alluded in Surah Kahfjust before Moses meets the everlasting Khidr (the green robed one) when the cooked fish (meant for the lunch ofMoses and Joshua) suddenly became alive when the drops of the Waters of life fell on them and the fish swam tothe sea. Here the artist has combined the supplication of Rahma with the miraculous waters of Life. Thiscomposition in monumental Thulth script demonstrates a downward movement since this is Rahma coming down.Both the ideas of Tanzil (which comes down) and rain/water (which also come down) have been explored by thegreat scholars of Islam in the past and alluded above.

In contemplating this particular painting one is reminded of the words of the late Dr Lings where in he stated " Blueis the colour of the Infinite and identical with Mercy for " My Mercy embraceth all things (Surah VII, v 156).... Closelyrelated to Ar Rahman is the Name Al Muhit, the All Embracing and by extension the word Muhit also means Ocean.As a symbol of Infinite Mercy, the sea is in fact second only to the sky itself whose colour it takes andassimilates..... He states further; if "blue liberates by Infinitude, gold liberates because like the sun it is symbol ofthe Spirit". As the colour of light gold is like yellow intrinsically a symbol of Knowledge. Blue in the presence of goldis therefore Mercy inclined to Reveal itself."

Tajammul Hussain


LOT 67

TAJAMMULB. 1953WERE THE SEA TO BECOME INK

signed, titled and dated 5th September 2010

ink, oil, silver leaf, gesso, malachite, lapiz and mixed media on canvas mounted on board

75.3 by 120.7cm.; 29 5/8 by 47 1/2 in.



Qur'an, surah al-kahf (XVIII), verse 109

'Were the sea to become ink for the words of my Lord, surely the sea would be used up before the Words of myLord were exhausted, even if we added another ocean like it, thereof to aid.'

inscription:

Qur'an, surah al-kahf (XVIII), verse 109

'Were the sea to become ink for the words of my Lord, surely the sea would be used up before the Words of myLord were exhausted, even if we added another ocean like it, thereof to aid.'

When the Quran says "Were the sea to become Ink for the Words of my Lord, the sea would be used up before theWords of my Lord were used up" it is saying that the symbol is not to be compared with that which it symbolizes,namely the Mother of the Book, the Sea which is in fact vast enough to contain the Words of God. None the less, bychoosing the material seas rather than any other earthly thing for this demonstration, the Quran affirms that theyare, for the Infinitude of the Divine Wisdom, the symbol of symbols.

Far from being a concrete image arbitrarily chosen by man to illustrate some abstract idea: a symbol is, as we haveseen, the manifestation, in some lower mode, of the higher reality which it symbolises and which stands in as aclose relationship to it as the root of tree to leaf. Thus water is Mercy and it would be true to say that even withoutany understanding of symbolism and even without belief in the Transcendent, immersion in water has an inevitableeffect upon the soul in addition to its purification of the water. In the absence of any ritual intention, this effect maybe altogether momentary and superficial; it is none the less visible on the face of almost any bather emerging froma lake or a river or even the sea, however, quickly it may be effaced by the resumption of " ordinary life".

To perform the rite of ablution is to identify oneself in the world of matter, with this wave of Mercy, and to return withit as it ebbs back towards the Principle, for purification is a return to our origins.

The Origin and end of this wave lies in the Treasuries (khazain) of the water which are "With Us "(Surah al furqan :v. 21). The Treasuries of Mercy are also spoken of in just the same terms and it is clear that these Treasuries areno less than the Supreme Source of Mercy Himself, Ar Rahman, the Infinitely Good. The Quran also speaks of itsown Archetype, the Mother of the Book, which is also the Divine Omniscience, nor can this Treasury be apart fromthose of Mercy, for it likewise belongs to Ar Rahman who is the Source of the Book. The Infinitely Good taught theQuran (Surah Rahman - the opening). We have already seen the connection between Mercy and comprehension;and the Treasuries of Water comprise both these aspects of Ar Rahman for water is the symbol of Knowledge aswell as of Mercy. Al Ghazali remarks with regard to the verse "He sent down water from heaven, so that the valleysare in flood with it, each according to its capacity (Surah Ar Raad v. 17). The commentaries tell us that the Water isGnosis and that the valleys are Hearts.

Aesthetically, the painting is inspired by the Japanese Zen paintings of the Edo period of Korin Ogata and SakaiHoitsu (1761 - 1828). Wave paintings were a favourite subject in the Edo period and were done in different styles bythe Kano, Maruyama and Rimpa schools. Hokusai 's famous "Great Wave" print is in part a summing of thistradition.

Tajammul Hussain.


LOT 68

KHALED AL-SAAIB. 1970EARTH 1


oil on canvas

191.5 by 71.5cm.; 75 3/8 by 28 1/8 in.


PROVENANCEThe Majlis Gallery, DubaiAcquired directly from the above by the present owner in 2007


Stylised script


LOT 69

ALIREZA KARAMIB. 1949UNTITLED

signedoil on canvas

109.5 by 180cm.; 43 1/8 by 70 7/8 in.Executed in 2008.

ESTIMATE 15,000 - 20,000 USD



Stylised script


LOT 70

AHMED MOUSTAFAB. 1943THE NIGHT JOURNEY AND ASCENSION

Each: signed and dated 1429-31 AH/2008-10 AD twiceoil and watercolour on 638gsm cotton paper mounted on canvas, in two parts

240 by 297cm.; 94 1/2 by 116 7/8 in.



Qur'an, surah al-Isra (XVII), verse 1

"Limitless in His glory is He who transported His servant by night from the Inviolable House of Worship (at Mecca)to the Remote House of Worship (at Jerusalem) the environs of which We had blessed so that We might showHim some of Our symbols: for verily He alone is all-hearing, all-seeing."

This Qur'anic verse refers to the Prophet Muhammad's (p.b.u.h.) night journey from Mecca to Jerusalem and hisascension from there to heaven where he was granted a vision of the Hereafter and of the secrets of Paradise andHell. The archetypal encounter with the divine realm, only hinted at in the words 'We might show Him some of Oursymbols', is the subject matter at the root of Ahmed Moustafa's diptych The Night Journey and Ascension. Itexplains the power of the work in which a series of what appear like thunderbolts give rise to bundles of ascendingrays of iridescent colour that rise up to a world beyond the confines of the canvas.

The elements of composition ascend with unrestrained velocity as though engaged in an uncommon race onaccount of a powerful force which attracts them to the heights a force that defies weight, size and quantity and towhich no earth-bound gravity applies. As gravity is nullified, time is reduced to a furtive moment in which all of Timeitself is contained. Complete chaos seems to arise and yet the viewer senses a hidden order at work whichharmonises the outpouring of opposing energies and unites them into a magic image of the Tree of Life 'a blessedtree, an olive tree which is neither of the East nor of the West, whose oil is so bright that it almost shines though nofire had touched it' (Qur'an, surah XXIV, verse 35).

The multiple moving forms which generate the composition consist in fact of repeated visual utterances of theabove cited Qur'anic verse which are scattered in different colours and sizes over the lower regions of the paintingand from whose letter-shapes emanate the upward charging rays. The varying guises in which the Qur'anicutterance is displayed reflect a plurality of perspective inherent in the wording of the verse, as the divine speakerrefers to Himself, first as 'He', then as 'We' and lastly as 'He' once more. Displayed against a deep night-bluebackground of seemingly limitless depth, the words appear as though discharged into the midst of interstellarspace.

The painting, however, appeals not only to the eye, but also to the ear. The utterances are displayed with suchrhythm, the upward moving streams of lines are so freely and harmoniously intertwined as though they formed partof a polyphonic chorus of glorious praise. Musical sound is here made visible as it travels through space. In makingus aware of the link between hearing and sight, space and time, the composition evokes the closing statement ofthe Qur'anic verse: 'verily He alone is all-hearing, all-seeing'. In its very grandeur the composition thus hints at areality which dwarfs it and all else, and is 'measureless to man'.

As summarised by the artist himself, the work strives to give expression to a heavenly, angelic celebration, in whichvisible forms assume the role of sounds, in which meanings assume the hue of colours, while all is imbued with thescent of camphor and musk, and engulfed with a sprinkling of the dew of eternal life in which there is no 'where' and'in between', and in which absolute goodness reigns supreme.

Dr. Stefan Sperl

Senior Lecturer in ArabicSchool of Oriental and African StudiesLondon


LOT 71

LEVENT KARADUMANB. 1978UNTITLED


150 by 270cm.; 59 by 106 1/4in.




Description of the physical attributes of the Prophet Muhammad, surrounded by the repetition of the word Huwa(He)


LOT 72

ALI ADJALLIB. 1939UNTITLED

signed and dated 1424/1382 AH/AP/2003 AD four timesacrylic on canvas

149.7 by 199.5cm.; 58 3/4 by 78 1/2 in.




Stylised script


LOT 73

VASEEMB. 1966THE WRECKAGE

stamped with the artist's monogram; signed, titled, dated 2004 and inscribedmixed media on canvas

71.5 by 55.5cm.; 27 1/8 by 21 7/8 in.


PROVENANCEMica Gallery, London


The phrase Rabbi yassir bi-al khayri wa-la-tu'assor (Oh Lord, make it easy for me to choose the righteous path)


LOT 74

POOYA ARYANPOURB. 1971UNTITLED

signed and dated 1387 AP/2008 AD; signed and dated 2008 on the reverseacrylic on canvas

150 by 200cm.; 59 by 78 3/4 in.

ESTIMATE 10,000 - 15,000 USD

PROVENANCEAcquired directly from the artist by the previous ownerAcquired directly from the above by the present owner in 2008


Stylised script


LOT 75

FARAMARZ PILARAM1937-1982SACRE

signed twice and dated 71; signed on the reverseoil on canvas

49 by 69.5cm.; 19 1/4 by 27 3/8 in.

ESTIMATE 10,000 - 15,000 USD

PROVENANCEGalerie Guiot, ParisAcquired directly from the above by the present owner circa 1973

LITERATUREExhibition Catalogue, Paris, Galerie Guiot, 6 Peintres Contemporain Iranien, 1973, no. 51, illustrated in colour


Stylised script


LOT 76


AZRA AGHIGHI BAKHSHAYESHIUNTITLED

oil and pen on canvas





Qur'an, surah al-qalam (LXVIII), verse 51 to 52:

'And verily, those who disbelieve would almost make you slip with their eyes through hatredness when they hearthe Reminder [the Qur'an], and they say: "Verily, He (Muhammad) is a madman!". But it is nothing else than aReminder to all the 'Alamin [mankind, jinns and all that exists].'


LOT 77

WISSAM SHAWKATB. 1974AL ARD WATANI, WA AL INSAANIYA USRATI - KHALIL GIBRAN (EARTH IS MY HOMELAND, AND HUMANITYIS MY FAMILY - KHALIL GIBRAN)


ink and acrylic on paper

100.5 by 70.5cm.; 39 1/2 by 27 3/4 in.



A couplet by the Lebanese poet Khalil Gibran


LOT 78

GOLNAZ FATHIB. 1972UNTITLED

(I)-(III) signed and dated 2009

acrylic, gold leaf and pencil on canvas, in three parts

Overall: 118.5 by 237cm.; 46 5/8 by 93 1/4 in.



Stylised script


LOT 79



signedoil on canvas





Qur'an, surah al-qalam (LXVIII), verse 51 to 52:

'And verily, those who disbelieve would almost make you slip with their eyes through hatredness when they hearthe Reminder [the Qur'an], and they say: "Verily, He (Muhammad) is a madman!". But it is nothing else than aReminder to all the 'Alamin [mankind, jinns and all that exists].'


LOT 80

REZA MAFI1943-1982UNTITLED


oil on canvas

75 by 205cm.; 29 1/2 by 80 3/4 in.



Stylised script


LOT 81

MOHAMED ZAKARIYAB. 1942THERE IS NO DIVINITY EXCEPT GOD

signed and dated 1423 AH/2003 ADink, gold and gouache on paper

52.5 by 95cm.; 20 5/8 by 37 3/8 in.

ESTIMATE 12,000 - 15,000 USD

PROVENANCELinearis Institute, California (acquired directly from the artist)


Allah huwa, La ilaha ill Allah Muhamad-ur Rasul Allah (He is God, there is no God but Allah and Muhammad is hisProphet)

"Because calligraphy isn't bound by the need to represent objective reality, it's free from the cultural and politicalconstraints associated with the pictorial arts. This sets the calligrapher free and, at the same time, adds newconstraints. This constant tension between constraint, tradition, and standards makes Islamic calligraphy neither arepresentational art nor an abstract one but something entirely othera living, evolving art of the word, of meaningitself."

Mohamed Zakariya

There In No Divinity Except God is a rare and important example of a contemporary calligraphic masterworking in time-honoured style.

Following a visit to the Middle East as a teenager, the American Mohammed Zakariya became fascinated withmiddle-eastern culture and is today recognised as one of the greatest living masters of traditional calligraphy andthe preeminent ambassador of the Arabic script to the United States. He is also the first western calligrapher to beawarded two licenses in calligraphy from the Istanbul Research Centre for Islamic Art, History and Culture, one ofthe most highly regarded institutions of its type in the Islamic world.

Zakariya's fine hand has been developed in the long-established tradition of practise, scholarship andapprenticeship. Engaging the various styles of calligraphy found across the region, Zakariya's dedication tocalligraphic institution can be seen throughout his oeuvre. In There Is No Divinity Except God the calligrapherexhibits his mastering of calligraphy in the perfect geometry and proportions of his letter forms, the customaryillumination that he produces himself and to great effect by creating different impressions of colour, texture andrichness, and even marbling his own paper in the manner of the Turkish ebru tradition.


LOT 82

PROF. NASSAR MANSOURB. 1967AYAT AL-KURSI

signed and dated 1431 AH/2010 AD; titled and dated 2010 on a label affixed to the reverseink, gouache and gold on paper mounted on board

195 by 72cm.; 76 3/4 by 29 3/8 in.




Qu'ran, surah al-baqarah (II), verse 255 (ayat al-kursi)

This unique calligraphic panel by the renowned artist and calligrapher Professor Nassar Mansour, presents the Ayatal-Kursi from Surah al-Baqarah and epitomises the monumental muhaqqaq script initiated by the calligraphy of theso-called 'Baysunghur' Qur'an of the early 15th century.

This vast Qur'an, associated with the Timurid prince Baysunghur Ibn Sharukh, himself a great bibliophile andcalligrapher, was copied in seven lines on enormous sheets of paper measuring about 177 by 101cm. The scriptused in the manuscript is a confident and impressive muhaqqaq which is notable for its 'sword-like' descending wawand ra' letters, as well as the meticulous execution of the letter alif, and its overall well-balanced proportions.

The Ayat al-Kursi or Throne Verse (Surah Baqarah V 255) is not only recited often by the Muslims but is a symbolof protection in the Islamic world - either worn as an amulet or as a print or painting in Muslim houses. The nearestanalogy in the Western world would be the crucifix which is either worn or its image hung in Christian houses.

In this work, Mansour utilizes the muhaqqaq script. Amongst the cursive scripts this is the grandest and wasfavoured in the Eastern Islamic world for inscribing Qur'anic manuscripts when it was replaced by a smaller scriptknown as naskh by the Ottomans. This is the first time that muhaqqaq has been used since the 16th century and itis the hope of the artist to revive this script to its full glory. More specifically, the work is in jalil al-muhaqqaq script. Itis the first time in four hundred years after the Ottoman master, Ahmad Karahisari (d. 1556) and his loyal pupilHasan Chalabi (d. 1594) last used it in their work.

The alternate usage of brown ink bounded with gold and crushed gold outlined with brown ink is clearly inspiredfrom the famous Il Khanid Mushaf inscribed for the Sultan Uljeitu by the great Ahmed as Suharwardy in the early14th century. The illumination is made on the style of the famous Mamluk illuminator Muhammad ibn Mubadir whowas commissioned by Sultan Baybars in the late 13th century. Where Mubadir used two shades of colour in hisouter border to fill in the floral petals, in this painting only one shade of blue has been used. The braided patternsurrounding this panel of the Ayat al-Kursi is clearly inspired by a verse from the Quran which states "Hold fast tothe Rope of Allah" (Surah III: 104-105). The outer scrolling floral border which is gilded lavishly recalls the Verse ofLight (Surah Nur: v. 35) reaching the hearts.

Professor Nassar Mansour and Tajammul Hussain.


LOT 83

TUNGKU ISMA'ILA CALLIGRAPHIC EMBROIDERED TEXTILE PANEL IN SQUARE KUFIC SCRIPT

20th Centurygold thread on cotton

98 by 94cm.; 38 1/2 by 37in. approx.Kelanton, Malaysia


CATALOGUE NOTEinscription


The present textile was designed by Tungku Isma'il, a prince of the Kelanton Royal Family of North Malaysia. Hecan be credited with saving the failing 'songkit' weaving industry of Terengganu and Kelanton. He provided lessonsand material to the women weavers of the two states to re-start the hand loom industry. In the eighteenth andnineteenth centuries, the main centre of songkit weaving was in Palemband in Sumatra, in which the finest piecesemployed the use of gold thread. The present piece was commissioned by the prince as an exercise for theKelantanese and Terengganu weavers.


LOT 84

ILAHI BAKHSH MUTI'A CALLIGRAPHIC PANEL IN SQUARE KUFIC SCRIPT

signed and dated 1429 AH/2008 ADInk, Gouache and gold on Paper

70 by 70cm.; 27 1/2 by 27 1/2 in.Pakistan



Qur'an, the whole of surah al-nas (CXIV)

One of Pakistan's foremost calligraphers, Ilahi Bukhsh Muti' was born in 1953 and studied calligraphy under SyedAnwer Husain Nafees Raqam. He has received a number of awards for his work, including first prize in the 1998All-Pakistan Exhibition of Calligraphy, Islamabad; second prize for calligraphy in the International Competition forPainting and Calligraphy, Iran, 1989; and the Special Prize for Khat-e-Naskh, from the Punjab Arts Council, Lahore,in 1999. Muti's work exists in numerous collections across the globe, including the British Museum, the Museum ofArt, Dubai, and the National Art Gallery in Islamabad.


LOT 85

YUSUF CHEN JINHUIA LARGE CALLIGRAPHIC PANEL

signed, circa 1990Ink on rice Paper

68.5 by 128cm.; 27 by 50 3/8 in.



The Bismillah


LOT 86


Circa 1990Ink on rice Paper

128 by 68.5cm.; 50 3/8 by 27in.



The word Allah

China's most renowed Islamic calligrapher, Yusuf Chen Jinhui (b.1938), has exhibited across the globe and hiswork can be found as part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Asian Civilizations in Singapore. Numerousworks were also displayed in Dubai (2003), Islamabad (2000), Tehran (1999), Istanbul (at the IRCICA in 1997) andin Kuala Lumpur (1996). For a further discussion of the artist and his work, please see Selected Arabic CalligraphicWorks of Chen Jinhui, Beijing, 2002.


LOT 87


signed, circa 1990Ink on Rice Paper

131 by 68.5cm.; 51 1/2 by 27in.



The Bismillah


LOT 88


signed, circa 1990Ink on Rice Paper

131 by 68.5cm.; 51 1/2 by 27in.



Allah wali al-tawfiq

'God is the guardian of success'


LOT 89

A DECCANI CALLIGRAPHIC COMPOSITION16th/17th centuryInk, gouache and Gold on Paper

34 by 22cm.; 13 3/8 by 8 5/8 in.India



The top band: the Bismillah

The centre: the Bismillah in mirror form

The lower band: a saying of Imam 'Ali in praise of good hand writing


LOT 90

ARIF KILANIA GOLD CALLIGRAPHIC SHAMSA

signed and dated 1428 AH/2007 ADGold and ink on paper

73.2 by 46.8cm.; 28 3/4 by 18 3/8 in.Iran



On top: The Bismillah

Underneath: the word Allah

Around the central roundel: repeat of 'Muhammad is the Messenger of God'

In the wide lower band: Qur'an surah al-saff (LXI), verse 9:

'He it is who has sent forth His Apostle with [the task of] spreading guidance and the religion of truth, to the end thatHe make it prevail over all [false] religion, however hateful this may be to those who ascribe divinity to aught butGod'


LOT 91

ASCRIBED TO SHEIKH ABDÜLAZIZAN ARABIC CALLIGRAPHIC PANEL IN THULUTH SCRIPT

signed and dated [1]314 AH/1896 AD67 by 34cm.; 26 3/8 by 13 3/8 in.Ottoman Turkey



Qur'an surah al-qalam (LXVIII), verse 4:

wa innaka la'la khalaq 'azim

'Verily you are the most exalted of character'


LOT 92

A MIRROR-FORM CALLIGRAPHY20th century73 by 67.2cm.; 28 3/4 by 26 1/2 in.Ottoman Turkey



'Those who restore the mosques of Allah are the beloved of Allah.'

The present work is a copy of an epigraphic work in stone by Hamid Aytac which adorns the main entrance of theSisli mosque in Istanbul. A reduced version of Aytac's work can be found in M.U. Derman, Eternal Letters, Sharjah,2009, p.307, pl.69a.


LOT 93

HASAN CELEBIB. 1937UNTITLED

signed and dated 1419 AH/1999 ADink and gold paint on board

168 by 110cm; 66 1/8 by 43 1/4 in.

ESTIMATE 30,000 - 40,000 USD


CATALOGUE NOTEThe Bismillah and names of the four Rightly-Guided Caliphs in Thuluth script.

In the central roundel (the 'crescent'): Visual attributes of the Prophet Muhammad reported from his son-in-law 'Aliin Naskh script.

Beneath (the 'head'), in Thuluth Script: 'You were only sent as grace to the worlds'.

In the lower register (the 'skirt'): Prayers and colophon.


LOT 94

A CALLIGRAPHIC PANEL IN GHUBARI SCRIPTCirca 1900ink on paper

54 by 74cm.; 29 1/8 by 21 1/4 in.Ottoman Turkey or Syria



Top cartouche: The Bismillah

Left cartouche: Muhammad

Right cartouche: Allah

Throughout, in Ghubari script:

Qur'an, surah al-fatiha (I) followed by surah al-hijr (XV) to surah al-anbiya' (XXI)


LOT 95

MUHAMMAD SHAWQI EFENDIAN ILLUMINATED CALLIGRAPHIC PANEL

signed and dated 1284 AH/1867 ADInk, Gouache and Gold on Paper

52 by 48cm.; 20 1/2 by 18 7/8 in.Ottoman Turkey



The names:

Allah, Muhammad, Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Ali, Husayn and Fatimah


LOT 96

SCHOOL OF MEHMED NURI SIVASIA MIRROR-FORM CALLIGRAPHIC PANEL IN GHUBARI AND THULUTH SCRIPTS

late 19th/early 20th centuryink on paper

64.5 by 81.5cm.; 25 3/8 by 32 1/8 in.Ottoman Turkey or Syria



huwa al-hayya al-qayyum

'He is the everlasting'

In white Ghubari script:

Qur'an, surah al-fatiha (I), followed by surah al-ankabut (XXIX) to surah al-zukhruf (XLIII)


LOT 97

AL-SAYYID AHMAD IBN ALIA CALLIGRAPHIC COMPOSITION FORMING THE NAMES 'MUHAMMAD' OR 'MAHMUD'

signed and dated 1270 AH/1873 ADink, gouache and gold on paper

34 by 33cm.; 13 3/8 by 13in.Ottoman Turkey



Within the outer crescents: surah al-fath (XLVIII)

Within the words Muhammad/Mahmud: surah ya-sin (XXXVI)


LOT 98

ASCRIBED TO ABDULLAH FAZA' ILIA MICROGRAPHIC LION-FORM CALLIGRAPHY


43 by 58cm.; 16 7/8 by 22 3/4 in.Qajar Iran



The Nada 'Ali quatrain

In Ghubari script: Prayers


LOT 99

ASCRIBED TO ALI SUHRAWARDIA MICROGRAPHIC PEACOCK-FORM CALLIGRAPHY

signed and dated 1317 AH/1899 ADInk and gold on Paper

61 by 35cm.; 24 by 13 3/4 in.Qajar Iran





LOT 100

ASCRIBED TO MUHAMMAD IBN ALI KAZIMIA MICROGRAPHIC GIRAFFE-FORM CALLIGRAPHY

signed and dated 1317 AH/1899 ADInk and gold on Paper

47 by 53.8cm.; 18 1/2 by 21 1/8 in.Qajar Iran



LOT 101

ASCRIBED TO ABDULLAH IBN AHMADA MICROGRAPHIC BIRD-FORM CALLIGRAPHY

signed and dated 1311 AH/1893-4 ADink on paper

72.5 by 50cm.; 28 1/2 by 19 3/4 in.Qajar Iran



In the top roundel: Allah

The polychrome bird form comprising the Bismillah



LOT 102

BARAKATZADA JAMAL AL-DINAN ARABIC CALLIGRAPHIC PANEL IN TA'LIQ SCRIPT

signed and dated 1308 AH/1890 ADgold on paper

33 by 118cm.; 13 by 46 1/2 in.Turkey or Syria



Hadith:

inna allah tuhibu an yara athara ni'matihi ala 'abdihi

'God likes to see the manifestion of His bounty displayed by His servant.'


LOT 103

AFTER 'IMAD AL-HASANIAN ILLUMINATED CALLIGRAPHY IN NASTA'LIQ SCRIPT

signed, circa 1900gouache and gold on paper

37 by 29cm.; 14 1/2 by 11 3/8 in.Iran



Qur'an, the whole of surah al-fatihah (I)


LOT 104

AN ILLUMINATED CALLIGRAPHIC SCROLLDated 1305 AH/1887 ADInk, gouache and gold on Paper

8.7 by 200cm.; 3 3/8 by 78 3/4 in.India



Various different micrographic forms of the Bismillah and the Prophet's family.


LOT 105

AN ILLUMINATED SCROLL-FORM QUR'AN IN GHUBARI SCRIPTcirca 1900Ink, Gouache and Gold on Paper

18.5 by 970cm.; 7 1/4 by 381 7/8 in.Probably Syria



Qur'an, with selected hadith, the Ninety-Nine Names of God (asma al-husna) and the names of the Rightly-GuidedCaliphs Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and 'Ali.


LOT 106

AN ILLUMINATED CALLIGRAPHIC PANEL IN NASTA`LIQ SCRIPTcirca 1700Gold and Gouache on Paper

13.2 by 39.2cm.; 5 1/4 by 15 3/8in.Iran



A verse from a Persian qasida :

in manzar-e farkhondeh o in kakh-e mushayyad

'This prosperous scene and this high-raised palace'


LOT 107

AN ILLUMINATED CALLIGRAPHIC PANELcirca 1900gouache and gold on paper

70.5 by 46cm.; 27 3/4 by 18 1/8 in.Ottoman Turkey or Iran



Qur'an, surah al-naml (XXVII), verse 30:

Innahu min sulaymana wa innahu bismi Allahi al-rahmani al-rahimi

'Behold, it is from Solomon, and it says, "In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Dispenser of Grace"'


LOT 108

ATTRIBUTED TO MUHAMMAD HUSAYNA LARGE PAGE OF DÉCOUPAGE CALLIGRAPHY

19th centuryInk, gouache and Gold with paper cut-outs

63.5 by 47.5cm.; 25 by 18 5/8 in.Qajar Iran



Including the name of the Qajar ruler Nasr Al-Din Shah (r.1848-96)

This beautiful and finely executed calligraphy is composed of coloured and gold paper cut-outs in the form of bothThuluth script and intricate floral decoration consisting of sprinkled flowers and leafy sprays. The high quality of thework and presence of the Persian king Nasr Al-Din Shah's name suggest that this particular piece is likely to havebeen made on royal commission.


LOT 109

HAMID AYTACA MONUMENTAL ILLUMINATED HILYE

signed 'Azmi Hamid al-Amidi (Hamid Aytac), 20th centuryInk, Gouache and Gold on Paper

152 by 113.5cm.; 59 3/4 by 44 5/8 in.Ottoman Turkey

ESTIMATE 80,000 - 120,000 USD


The Bismillah and names of the four Rightly-Guided Caliphs in Thuluth script.




Although difficult to define in exact terms, the Hilye can be summarised as a 'description' of the ProphetMuhammad, in that it entails both physical characteristics as well as referring to his temperament and behaviour. Inthe absence of any images of the Prophet, his description according to 'Ali Ibn 'Ali Talib (his son-in-law andnephew) is generally regarded as the most authentic, providing a powerful 'verbal image'. Thus most Hilyes take'Ali's description as their basis.

Hamid Aytac, who occasionally signed his works Hamid Al-Amidi (as in this instance), was born in Diyarbakir in1891, and took up calligraphy at a very young age. He was a prolific calligrapher throughout his long life and is bestknown for his work in Jali Thuluth script, his proficiency in which he attributed to the stencils prepared by SamiEfendi for the inscriptions on the fountain of Yeni Cami. A number of mosques in Turkey are adorned with his worksincluding the Sisli mosque in Istanbul, and the inscriptions within the domes of the Eyüb Sultan and Findikli MollaCelebi mosques. Hamid Aytac died in 1982 and is buried in the Karacaahmed cemetery. Please see lot 93 for acontemporary Hilye by Hasan Celebi, one of Hamid Aytac's students.

Four further works by Hamid Aytac are in the Collection of Abdul Rahman Al-Owais, and published in M.U. Derman,Eternal Letters, Sharjah, 2009, pp.304-311, pls.69-69c.


LOT 110

HAFIZ TAHSIN AL-HELMIAN ILLUMINATED HILYE DEPICTING THE PROPHET'S TOMB

signed and dated 1303 AH/1885 AD59.5 by 32cm.; 23 3/8 by 12 1/2 in.Ottoman Turkey







The painting in this Hilye is signed by 'Haqqi', and also dated 1303 AH/1885 AD.


LOT 111

HUSAYN BIN AHMADAN ILLUMINATED HILYE

signed, circa 1900gouache, ink and gold on paper

56 by 51.5cm.; 22 by 20 1/8 in.Ottoman Turkey







The scribe Husayn Bin Ahmad may well be the Turkish calligrapher Huseyin bin Ahmed Zeynizade.


LOT 112

ASMA AL-HUSNA 'THE NINETY-NINE NAMES OF GOD' IN SCROLL FORM20th centuryInk on Paper

15 by 856 cm.; 5 7/8 by 337in.Probably Syria



In stylised silver Kufic script:

asma al-husna

'The ninety-nine names of God'

Within roundels in Ghubari script: Qur'an


LOT 113

AN ILLUMINATED SCROLL-FORM QUR'AN IN GHUBARI SCRIPT20th centuryInk and Gold on Paper




In micrographic Ghubari script:

Qur'an, forming within it in stylised Kufic script:

asma al-husna, the 'Ninety-Nine Names of God'


LOT 114

AN ILLUMINATED SCROLL-FORM QUR'AN IN GHUBARI SCRIPT20th centuryInk on Paper

12 by 750cm.; 4 3/4 by 295 1/8 in.Probably Syria



In micrographic Ghubari script:

Qur'an, forming the Ninety-Nine Names of God (asma al-husna)


LOT 115

ASMA AL-HUSNA 'THE NINETY-NINE NAMES OF GOD' IN SCROLL FORM20th centuryInk and gold on paper

12 by 724.5cm.; 4 3/4 by 285 1/8 in.Probably Syria



In stylised Kufic script:

asma al-husna

'The ninety-nine names of God'


LOT 116

A LARGE ILKHANID-STYLE ILLUMINATED CALLIGRAPHY IN RAYHAN SCRIPT20th centurygouache and gold on paper

60 by 42.5cm; 23 5/8 by 16 3/4 in.Probably Syria



Qur'an, surah al-jinn (LXXII), verses 1 to 12


LOT 117

A MAMLUK-STYLE ILLUMINATED DOUBLE-PAGE FRONTISPIECE20th centurygouache, ink and gold on paper




Qur'an, surah al-fatiha (I) and surah al-baqarah (II), verses 1 to beginning of 5


LOT 118

A MAMLUK-STYLE ILLUMINATED CALLIGRAPHY20th centuryInk, gouache and gold on paper

38 by 28.2cm.; 15 by 11 1/8 in.Probably Syria



Qur'an, surat al-baqarah (II), verse 253


LOT 119

AN ILLUMINATED DOUBLE-PAGE FRONTISPIECE20th centuryink, gouache and gold on paper

74 by 90cm.; 29 1/8 by 35 3/8in.Probably Syria



Qur'an, surah al-fatiha (I) and surah al-baqarah (II), verses 1 to part of 4


LOT 120

AN ILLUMINATED DOUBLE-PAGE FRONTISPIECE20th centurygouache and gold on paper

74 by 90cm.; 29 1/8 by 35 3/8 in.Probably Syria



Qur'an, the whole of surah al-fatiha (I)


LOT 121

SABRIAN EMBROIDERED CALLIGRAPHIC PANEL

Signed and Dated1304 AD/1886 ADSilk and Metal Thread

33 by 83cm.; 13 by 32 5/8 in.Ottoman Turkey



Allah wali al-tawfiq

'God is the guardian of success'


LOT 122

AN EMBROIDERED CALLIGRAPHIC PANELdated 1304 AH/1886 ADSilk, Metal thread and velvet

53.3 by 62.5cm.; 21 1/8 by 24 5/8 in.Ottoman Turkey



Qur'an, surah ya-sin (XXXVI), verse 9:

'And we have made before them a barrier and a barrier behind them, then we have covered them over so that theydo not see.'

The calligraphy of the present piece is reminiscent of the hand of Sultan Mahmud II (r.1808-39).


LOT 123

ABD AL-QADIRA PANEL OF DÉCOUPAGE CALLIGRAPHY

signed, circa 1900Paper




'Almighty God, you are the Lord of our hearts so stabilise my heart in your religion, your love and the love of yourprophet.'


LOT 124

ATTRIBUTED TO MUHAMMAD HASHIM AL-BAGHDADIA PEAR-FORM DÉCOUPAGE CALLIGRAPHY

circa 1966116.5 by 89cm.; 45 7/8 by 35in.Baghdad, Iraq



Within the pear: Qur'an, surah al-fath (XLVIII), parts of verses 28 and 29.

Within the leaves: A prayer and the Bismillah.


LOT 125

AL-SAYYID MUHAMMAD BAHIRA CONCERTINA FORM ASMA AL-HUSNA

signed and dated 1276 AH/1859 ADInk and Gold on paper

Together: 23.6 by 69.5cm.; 9 1/4 by 27 3/8 in.; inner panels: 18.3 by 12cm.; 7 1/4 by 4 3/4 in.Ottoman Turkey



asma al-husna '

The Ninety-Nine Names of God'

Al-Sayyid Muhammad Bahir Bey (1790-1865)

Al-Sayyid Muhammad Bahir Bey studied calligraphy under the supervision of Chief-judge (Qadi-asker) and Qadi ofMecca Abdulkadir Bey (d.1845), son of Rumeli Qadi-asker Emin Bey, and grand-son of Grand-vizier Yaglikchi-zadeh Mehmed Emin Pasha. Appointed chief calligraphy tutor to the Topkapi Palace, Muhammad Bahir Bey alsotaught calligraphy, on Thursdays, in his mansion in the district of Molla Gurani, Istanbul. He taught in the Palace onMondays.

It has been noted that he had more than two hundred pupils, both from the palace and in various districts of the city.Known as the Sheikh al-Khattatin (Master of Calligraphers) of his day, he was most concerned with the quality ofthe ink and paper he used. Muhammad Bahir Bey was a member of the "Mawlawiyya" sufi order, and died in 1865.He is buried in the Kashghari Dervish-Lodge in the district of Eyub, Istanbul.


LOT 126

MUHAMMAD HASHIMA PANEL OF ILLUMINATED CALLIGRAPHY

signed and dated 1208 AH/1793 ADInk, Gouache and Gold on Paper

central panel: 10.2 by 14.5cm.; 4 by 5 3/4 in.; leaf: 15.5 by 19.8cm.; 6 1/8 by 7 7/8 in.Qajar Iran



Qur'an, the whole of surah al-ikhlas (CXII)

Muhammad Hashim is most probably Muhammad Hashim Isfahani, a Persian Naskh scribe of the late eighteenth-early nineteenth century.


LOT 127

A PANEL OF CALLIGRAPHY IN NASKH SCRIPTsigned, 16/17th centuryInk on Paper

22.5 by 32.6cm.; 8 7/8 by 12 3/4 in.India



Qur'an, surah al-isra (XVII), part of verse 84

In the borders: Persian verses


LOT 128

MIR HUSAYN AL-HUSAYNIAN ILLUSTRATED AND ILLUMINATED QUATRAIN

signed, 16th century with 19th century marginsInk, Gouache and Gold on Paper

central panel: 14 by 7.5cm.; 5 1/2 by 29 1/2 in.; leaf: 33 by 22.8cm.; 13 by 9in.Iran



'Your face is like a moon that illuminates all courtly homes.When angels look upon your face they are like moths hovering around the candle of your beauty.The fire of your absence has nurtured our souls in such a way that all other nurtured souls become moths thathover around our candles.'

The present scribe could be Husayn al-Husayni known as Mir Kulangi, a pupil of the famous Mir 'Ali al-Harawi. Heworked as a librarian at the Royal Court of 'Abdallah II, in Bukhara and often signed as al-Sultani. He had a longworking life and his recorded works are dated between 922 AH/1516-17 AD and 983 AH/1575-6 AD, many copiedin Bukhara (see Mehdi Bayani, ahval va asar-e khosh-nevisan, vol. I, Tehran, 1345 sh., pp.164-6). An album pageincorporating a panel of calligraphy by Mir Kulangi was sold in Sotheby's London, 6 October 2010, lot 56.


LOT 129

A SILK AND METAL THREAD CALLIGRAPHIC BAND (HIZAM)Dated 1311 AH/1893 ADSilk and Metal Thread

83 by 825cm.; 32 5/8 by 324in.



Main text: Qur'an, surah al-baqara (II), verses 127 and 128

Roundel on the right: Qur'an, surah al-ikhlas (CXII)

Roundel on the left: Invocations to God

Inscription in the form of a teardrop: 'His Excellency, our Lord 'Abbas Hilmi, the Protected Egypt, the year 1311'

This inscription indicates that the Hizam was made in Egypt during the reign of 'Abbas Hilmi, the last Khedive ofEgypt, in 1311 AH/1893 AD.


LOT 130

AN IMPORTANT EXTERNAL CURTAIN (BURQA) OF THE HOLY KA'BA DOOR DEDICATED TO SULTAN ABD AL-MAJID (R.1839-61)dated 1263 AH/1846-7 ADsilk with applied silver and silver-gilt thread

530 by 270cm; 208 3/4 by 106 1/4in.Ottoman Turkey



In the cartouche above the pointed arch:

amara bi-'amal hadhi al-burdah al-sharifah mawlana al-sultan al-maghazi 'abd al-majid khan khallada allahkhilafatihi sana 1263

'This noble curtain was ordered to be made by our Lord, the one of military virtues, Sultan 'Abd al-Majid, may hiscaliphate be everlasting, the year 1263 AH/1846-7 AD'.

In the small pale roundels in the borders: Repetition of: allahu rabbi 'God is my Lord' and allahu hasbi 'God sufficesme'.

In the eight long black cartouches on the side borders: Qur'an, surah al-fatihah (I).

In the top two long black cartouches, the two large roundels and round the opening arch: Qur'an, surah al-ilkhlas(CXII).

In the single black cartouche on top: Qur'an, surah al-naml (XXVII), verse 30 and surah al-isra (XVII), verse 80.

In the four lozenge-shaped cartouches: The Bismillah in mirror form.

In the wide pale band: Qur'an, surah al-fath (XLVIII), part of verse 27.

In the four black cartouches above and below the wide band: Qur'an, surah al-baqara (II), verse 255 (ayat al-kursi).

In the two black cartouches next to the top of the arch: Qur'an, surah quraysh (CVI).

In the six cartouches on the sides of the opening: Repetition of two different shahadah.


LOT 131

FOUR RICE AND WHEAT GRAIN MICRO-CALLIGRAPHIESone grain dated 1342 AH/1923ink on three rice grains and one wheat grain

0.5cm.; 1/4 in. approx.Probably Syria



Each inscribed with Qur'an, the whole of surah al-Ikhlas (CXII)


LOT 132

MUHAMMAD IBN SALIM AL-DIMASHQIA MINIATURE QUR'AN IN GHUBARI SCRIPT

signed and dated 1203 AH/1788 ADink and gold on paper


ESTIMATE 20,000 - 30,000 USD


LOT 133

A SILVER AND GILT-METAL THREAD EMBROIDERED CALLIGRAPHIC PANEL20th centurySilk and Metal Thread

86 by 72cm.; 33 7/8 by 28 3/8 in.



Qur'an, the whole of surah al-ikhlas (CXII)

This metal thread embroidered panel, comprising the whole of the Qur'an's hundred and twelfth surah, is a fragmentoriginating from the kiswa cloth that covers the holy Ka'ba at Mecca. Once made in Egypt and brought to Mecca onthe mahmal pilgrimage, the kiswa cloth is now manufactured in Saudi Arabia. Traditionally, the kiswa is cut up eachyear and distributed amongst honoured pilgrims.


LOT 134

TWO LARGE ILLUMINATED MAMLUK QUR'AN LEAVES14th centuryInk and Gold on Paper

43 by 31cm.; 16 7/8 by 12 1/4 in.; 43 by 29cm.; 16 7/8 by 11 3/8 in.Egypt or Syria



Illustrated leaf: Qur'an, the whole of surah al-tauuba (X)

Other leaf: surah taha (XX), verses 10 to 58


LOT 135

TWO OTTOMAN QUR'AN LEAVES15th centuryInk and gold on paper

33 by 49.5cm.; 13 by 19 1/2 in.Ottoman Turkey



Qur'an, Surah al-nisa (IV)

Right hand leaf: Part of verse 34

Left hand leaf: Part of verse 27 to part of verse 32

These leaves come from a grand thirty-volume Qur'an almost certainly written in the first half of the fifteenthcentury. It is an important example of early Ottoman manuscript production, displaying a fine Muhaqqaq script witha strong flowing rhythm, enhanced by varying arrangements of blue and gold lines. A further bifolium from the samemanuscript was sold in Sotheby's London, 28 April 2004, lot 13.


LOT 136

A QUR'AN LEAF IN KUFIC SCRIPT9th centuryink on vellum

12 by 18cm.; 4 3/4 by 7cm.North Africa or Near East



Qur'an, surah al-hashr, (LIX), verses 3-6


LOT 137

A QUR'AN LEAF IN KUFIC SCRIPT9th centuryink and gold on vellum

10.5 by 16.2cm.; 4 1/8 by 6 3/8 in.North Africa or Near East



Qur'an, surah al-imran (III), part of verse 83 to 85


LOT 138

A QUR'AN LEAF IN KUFIC SCRIPT9th centuryink on vellum

11.5 by 18.5cm.; 4 1/2 by 7 1/4cm.North Africa or Near East



Qur'an, surah sad (XXXVIII), verses 45 to 56


LOT 139

A QUR'AN LEAF IN KUFIC SCRIPT9th centuryink and gold on vellum

10.2 by 17cm.; 4 by 6 5/8 in.North Africa or Near East



Qur'an, surah qaf (L), verses 9 to 13


LOT 140

A QUR'AN LEAF IN KUFIC SCRIPT9th centuryInk and gold on Vellum




Qur'an surah al-ma'idah (V), verses 65 to 66


LOT 141

A QUR'AN BIFOLIUM IN EASTERN KUFIC SCRIPT12th centuryInk on Vellum

14.5 by 20.3cm.; 5 3/4 by 8in.Persia or Iraq



Qur'an, surah al-baqarah (II), verses 25 to 26


LOT 142

AN ILLUMINATED QUR'AN LEAF IN MAGHRIBI SCRIPT12-14th centuryink and gold on vellum

21.5 by 21cm.; 8 1/2 by 8 1/4 in.North West Africa or Andalusia



Qur'an, surah banu isra'el (XVII), verses 105 to end; surah al-kahf (XVIII), verse 1

The script and general style of this Maghribi Qur'an leaf is typical of western Islamic manuscript production of the12th-14th centuries. However, the quality and refined detail of the illumination is noteworthy.


LOT 143

AN ILLUMINATED QUR'AN LEAF IN MAGHRIBI SCRIPTcirca 1250-1350 ADink and gold on vellum

18.7 by 17.7cm.; 7 3/8 by 7in.North Africa or Andalusia



Qur'an, surah al-an'am (VI), verses 6 to 8


LOT 144

A LARGE QUR'AN LEAF IN KUFIC SCRIPT8th centuryInk on Vellum

32 by 38.5cm.; 12 1/2 by 15 1/8 in.North Africa or Near East



Qur'an, surah al-nisa (IV), part of verse 153 to 162

This Qur'an folio and the following lot originate from a widely dispersed manuscript of great interest, whichis notable for its distinctive script and archaic features.

The page size is relatively large, the script is characterized by a strong degree of horizontal stretching (mashq), andthe 16 lines per page are relatively closely spaced, presenting a quite solid block of text area. There are severalfeatures that distinguish the script from most other Kufic scripts. The terminal nun is very rounded, almost semi-circular, the medial fa/qaf and 'ayn sit above the line of script, attached only by a very thin vertical ligature, and theactual form of the medial 'ayn (seen here on the thirteenth line of the verso) is a small cup-shape, almost like aminute flower. These and other features have led Déroche to give this script a category of its own, designated byhim as style F (see Déroche 1992, pp.46-47). One aspect of the script, the terminal qaf, is of an archaic form thatmay be associated with the eighth century under the Umayyad and early Abbasid dynasties. Déroche associatesthe script with two inscriptions of the eighth century, one dated 100 AH/718-19 AD, the other dated 160AH/776-7AD (see Déroche 1992, p.42).

The illumination is also interesting and of an archaic style, characterized by densely decorated polychrome designsemploying reticulation and interlacing in the horizontal panels of the sura headings and dense scrolling foliate motifsin the adjoining stylized palmettes, which are also distinctive for being present on both the outer and inner margins.This latter feature is extremely unusual. The palette of the illumination is predominantly green and brown, and thegenerally dense foliate style is also used on the fully illuminated opening pages of the ajza', as shown by a folio soldin these rooms 8th October 2008, lot 1.

Another early feature is the use of rows of angled brown ink dashes for the verse dividers (seen here on thefourteenth line of the verso). This type of verse marker is associated mostly with Qur'ans in Hijazi script and a fewearly Kufic manuscripts which can be confidently attributed to the Umayyad period, such as the well-knownmonumental Qur'an in Sana'a with the architectural frontispieces (see von Bothmer 1987, Amsterdam 1999, cat.36-41), which has been date on stylistic grounds to circa 710-15, and the monumental manuscript known as theTashkent Qur'an, which has been carbon-dated to circa 700 AD.

The sura titles of the present Qur'an were probably not part of the original design, since they have been squeezedin to the small amount of available space at the end of sura, written in red ink. However, they are written in anidentical script to that of the main text and it is possible that they were included by the original scribe after thecompletion of the manuscript. The letter-pointing (i'jam) is also not original, using a slightly darker ink and beingapplied in a less neat and refined manner than the text. However, the ink has a fine cracquelure caused by thedrying of the ink over the centuries, and thus indicating that it was applied at least in medieval times, perhaps withina relatively short time of the original production of the manuscript.

Other leaves from this manuscript are in museum and private collections worldwide, including the Los AngelesCounty Museum of Art, the David Collection, Copenhagen, the Tareq Rajab Museum, Kuwait and the Nasser DKhalili Collection, London. Examples have appeared at auction over the last several decades, most recently inthese rooms 24th October 2007, lot 2, where further listing is given. Folios with illuminated panels are very rare,only four having appeared on the market (Christie's, London, 15 october 1996, lot 47, Sotheby's, London, 29 April1998, lot 2, Bonhams, London, 1st May 2003, lot 1, and Sotheby's, London, 8th October 2008, lot 1.

For further reading see Fraser and Kwiatowski 2006, pp.26-29, Blair 2006, pp.101-140, Déroche 1992, pp.42, 46-7,122.


LOT 145

A LARGE QUR'AN LEAF IN KUFIC SCRIPT8th centuryInk on Vellum




Qur'an, surah al-kahf (XVIII), part of verse 5 to 10

See catalogue note to previous lot.

hurouf : the art of the word

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