OTTOMAN TURKEY, MID 16TH CENTURY

The layout and use of an elegant bichrome palette of gold and rich lapis lazuli for the opening illumination of our Qur'an is typical of 16th and early 17th century Ottoman manuscripts and tughra decorations. See for example the tughra of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent in the British Museum (inv. no.1949,0409,0.86). An Ottoman Qur’an, with a similarly decorated polychrome illuminated bifolio dated to the early 17th century was sold at Sotheby's, London 25 May 2005 lot 209.