AKHLAQ-I
RASUL ALLAH
This is a detail of a page
from an 18th-century
Turkish manuscnpt a book
of religious ethics written
in Arabic. It is now kept in
the Oriental Collections
of the Staatsbibliothek zu
Berlin, Germany.
Border The elegant border of
this drawing was mode with a pen
and ruler It cleverly compresses
and defines the composition, so
that overlapping petals and stems
give an impression of fulfillment
and abundance.Sacred words The central rose is
more solid than any other on the
page. However, look closely and
you will see words written in gold
fluttering over the form of the
flower, fragmenting its detail in
a whisper of prayers.Stylized motif A fine brush has
been used throughout this drawing
to apply inks and watercolors.
The physical anatomy of the
rosebud has been studied and
translated into a repeated stylized
motif. Note how each bud is
essentially the same shape,
and how the shape has been
repeated freehand.The Rose of Mohammed
1708
91 / 2 x 61 / 2 in (240x165 mm)
FROM THE TURKISH
MANUSCRIPT AKHLAQ-I
RASUL ALLAH