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Collections

Manuscript of the Jawahir al-ghara'ib tarjumat bahr al-'aja'ib (Rare Pearls, A Translation of Baḥr al-‘ajā’ib [Sea of Marvels])1582/A.H. 990

Not on view
Illuminated manuscript page with lapis blue and gold decorative header featuring arabesque patterns and a central gold cartouche, above a ruled grid of Arabic script in black and gold ink
Illuminated manuscript page with Arabic calligraphy in gold and red script within a large circle framed by a blue and gold border, flanked by two rectangular decorative headers with blue, gold, and red arabesque patterns on a cream ground.
Illuminated manuscript page with Arabic script in black and gold ink, topped by an ornate headpiece featuring a central medallion in deep blue and gold with intricate arabesque scrollwork, flanked by red and gold floral borders and pendant decorations extending upward.
Illustrated manuscript page with Arabic or Persian script above and below a gold-bordered miniature painting depicting a dense grove of tall date palms with winding paths, a pink pavilion with blue domed roof at upper left, and a robed figure standing nearby.
Illustrated manuscript page with Arabic or Ottoman Turkish script above and below the miniature. A robed figure sits atop a gray elevated mound beneath a tree, while a crowd of turbaned figures in colorful robes gathers below around a central flame. Gold-ruled borders frame the scene.
Illustrated manuscript page with Arabic or Ottoman Turkish script above and below a miniature painting. The miniature depicts two seated figures in robes and turbans before a domed octagonal pavilion with a gilded dome and arched doorway, set against a gold sky with trees and a purple mountain.
Illustrated manuscript page with Ottoman Turkish script above and below a miniature painting. In the scene, two figures in red garments stand in a green landscape with gold haystacks and a tree; one bends to gather hay while the other holds the reins of a saddled dark gray donkey.
Illuminated manuscript page with dense Arabic-script text above a rectangular miniature painting depicting several robed figures and a donkey gathered around a tree against a pink and gold background.
Illustrated manuscript page with Arabic or Persian script above and below a rectangular miniature painting. In the scene, a mounted figure in blue and gold robes rides a dark horse on green ground; a kneeling figure in red holds a severed head; two pale nude figures stand near a tree with golden foliage at right; additional figures appear at upper left against a blue sky with rocky outcroppings. Gold-ruled borders frame the miniature.
Illustrated manuscript page with Arabic or Ottoman Turkish script in multiple columns above a miniature painting; a bearded male figure with a golden halo wears purple and white robes, kneeling beside a large dark mound on a gold ground; a small black form rests at the mound's base; additional script below the illustration.
Manuscript page with Arabic or Persian script above and below a gold-bordered circular diagram divided into radial segments, each containing text, with lines converging at a central point; pale ink annotations visible beneath the diagram.
Manuscript page with a diagram of a circle divided into eight segments by diagonal lines, filled with Arabic numerals, bordered by a gold band with Arabic inscriptions around the outer ring. Below the diagram, several lines of Arabic script text in black ink with gold highlighting on a cream-toned page.
Illuminated manuscript page with Ottoman Turkish script above and below a miniature painting. In the scene, a standing robed figure with a flame halo faces three reclining figures in white turbans near a decorative wheel, set against stylized pink and blue hills with a dark green tree. Flat perspective and vivid color typical of Ottoman manuscript illustration.
Title
Manuscript of the Jawahir al-ghara'ib tarjumat bahr al-'aja'ib (Rare Pearls, A Translation of Baḥr al-‘ajā’ib [Sea of Marvels])
Place Made
Turkey
Date Made
1582/A.H. 990
Medium
Ink, opaque watercolor and gold on paper
Dimensions
11 1/2 x 8 x 1 3/4 in. (29.2 x 20.3 x 4.5 cm)
Credit Line
The Edwin Binney, 3rd, Collection of Turkish Art at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Accession Number
M.85.237.24
Classification
Manuscripts
Collecting Area
Art of the Middle East: Islamic
Selected Bibliography
  • Binney, Edwin, 3rd. "Turkish Arts of the Book in the Binney Collection." Arts of Asia 17, no.6 (Nov/Dec 1987): 97-104.