v_charneau
Registered: December 2004
Posts: 4,164
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Author: al-€ar£r£, al-QŠsim ibn 'Al£ ibn Muhammad ibn 'U™mŠn
Subject: Literature
Shelf Number: Literature 2272
Lines: 4
Folios: 235
Script: Nas¢
Dimensions: 25 x 18 cm
[MaqŠmŠt al-€ar£r£] is a collection of short stories written in a special style. The stories are narrated by one of the wealthy Arabs, named [al-€Šri™ ibn HammŠm], who described in each story one episode where he had been an eye witness. The hero of all these stories was [Abš Zayd al-Sarš£]. He appears in the stories as an old man having literary talents, yet he was unable to earn his living. Thus, he left his birthplace [Sarš] situated at the upper Europhrates and started deceiving people by different intrigues in a funny and amusing manner using his literary talents to achieve his purposes. The stories show at the same time the points of weakness in his society. The [MaqŠmŠt] had attracted the painters because of its superior literary style and its humour. Thus, painters illuminated its different copies with illustrations representing the events of each story. We can say that no other Arabic manuscript had ever been illustrated as the [MaqŠmŠt]. Many copies illustrated with many paintings are preserved in the libraries of Europe. The oldest one is the copy number 6094 at the National Library in Paris, written in 619H/1323AD and containing 39 illustrations. Also, the copy number 5847 in Paris written by [YayŠ ibn Mamšd ibn YayŠ al-WŠsi—£] in 634H/1237AD, which contains 99 illustrations. In addition to some other copies in Paris, the British Museum in London, and some other places. (see : [€asan al-BŠ–Š]: [al-Ta•w£r al-IslŠm£ f£ al-‘U•šr al-Wus—Š] pp. 105-108). The copy preserved at the great Mosque of [San‘Š’] is a rare one written in clear [Nas¢] script, was finished in [ƒafar] 1121H, and was written and illuminated by [‘ImŠd al-D£n YayŠ ibn ‘Abd al-RamŠn al-‘Al£]. Thus, this copy is considered as a recent copy when compared with the above mentioned copies. The gilded frames of the pages contain many illustrations. It contains fifty [MaqŠma], the first is [al-MaqŠma al-ƒan‘Šniyya] and the last is [al-MaqŠma al-Baariyya]. The subject of each [MaqŠma] is written at its heading in red ink. Also, we find explanations for many words in between the lines in red ink.
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