Since the fourth millennium BC, the Middle East and Asia have engaged in rich and diverse cultural exchanges across their respective borders. Despite their profound linguistic and traditional differences, these two vast geographical regions have enriched each other’s cultural affinities throughout history, often through shared religious ties rooted in Islam. These encounters, spanning cultural, economic, intellectual, linguistic, literary, political, and religious spheres, have greatly influenced artistic developments.
TAJAN’s Far Eastern and Middle Eastern Art Department draws strength and originality from these interdisciplinary fields and affinities. We invite enthusiasts, collectors, and lovers of art to delve into the rich cultural traditions of Asia and the Middle East, exploring how they articulate identity, faith, authority, and cultural differences. Join us on a journey to discover the fascinating and nuanced intersections of these two vibrant, growing and constantly changing regions.
From the Far East…
JUZ’ III FROM A CHINESE QUR’AN OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.
Manuscript of 53 folios of five lines per page in “sini muhaqqaq”. Double illuminated frontispieces at the beginning and end. Surat “al-Baqara” verse 253 to “El-‘Omran” verse 91. Title of “El-‘Omran” in gilt sini. Bound in stamped morocco with floral decoration.
China, 17th century. 28,5 x 20,5 cm
JUZ XIII FROM A SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY CHINESE QUR’AN.
Manuscript of 51 folios of five lines per page in “sini muhaqqaq” with vowels in black, from Surat “Yusuf” (12) to the end of Surat “Ibrahîm” (14). Superb double frontispiece at the beginning, titles in gilt “sini” of Surat “Al-Ra’d” and Surat “Ibrahîm”. Two floral marginal illuminations. Floral frame on the last two pages. Binding covered with worn black cloth. Mottling and wear.
China, 17th century. Dim. 26 x 19 cm.
Part of a Chinese Qur’an from the late 15th or 16th century. Second part of the juz’4.
Manuscript of 55 double-sided folios of three lines per page in black “muhaqqaq” on brown oriental paper. The first page is decorated with a large illuminated mandorla that reads in white “naskh”: “Al-qism al-thâni min al-juz’ arrâbe'” (second part of juz’4). On the left of the mandorla, in naskh: Awqafa wa abada wa habbasa mawlana-s-Sultâ(n) Nâser ad-dounia wad-dîne Muhammad gamî’… wa’adata agzâïhâ mâata juz’ wa khams… sâer al-muslimîn yanfa’unu bihâ… (Has bequeathed forever our Lord Sultan Nâser ad-dounia wad-dine Muhammad the whole… and the number of its sections is one hundred and five… may the whole of the believers benefit from it…).
The two-part manuscript begins with the fourth word of verse 121 of Surat “Al-‘Imrân” (3) until the end of verse 177. The first two pages of the first part are completely illuminated with floral decoration on a squared background with a line of text in important “muhaqqaq” in the middle and two cartouches with attested phrases in white “naskh”. This part goes up to verse 153. The second part begins at verse 154 with a page decorated with the first three words in “muhaqqaq” to replace the missing frontispiece and a completely illuminated page, in three parts like those at the beginning. The manuscript ends with two pages decorated with an illuminated cartouche framing a single line of text constituting the last words of Surah 177. All pages are decorated with marginal illuminations. The word “Allah” is in gold surrounded by red. Illuminated rosettes separate the verses. Tear and missing part of the margin of the first frontispiece, some tears and trimming to the second frontispiece and the bottom of several leaves. Mottling. Antique morocco binding, in poor condition and with the cover detached. Ex-libris Firmin-Didot and Cte Chandon de Briailles.
China or Chinese Turkestan, late 15th or 16th century. Dim. approx. 25 x 20 x 1,5 cm
KENDI SAFAVIDE
Base of hookah out of ceramics with blue-white decoration “with the Chinese”, decorated with stylized dragons in medallions alternating with floral reasons. Around the neck, a frieze of floral medallions. The top of the neck is fractured with a metal frame. Apocryphal Chinese mark under the base. Restorations to the heel and missing upper part of the neck.
Safavid Iran, Kirman or Meched, 17th century. Height. 12,5 cm (4,9 cm)
SAFAVID BOTTLE FROM KIRMAN OR MECHED
Blue-white ceramic with a glaze that is cracked in places, decorated “à la chinoise” with characters passing near a bridge under a lanceolate frieze. Flowers decorate the narrowing before the neck. The top of the neck is probably truncated with a threaded cap that allowed the use of the bottle as a lamp. Chips on the heel.
Iran, Kirman or Meched, 17th century. Height 26 cm
Reference A. Lane, “Later Islamic Pottery,” 1971, nos. 70, 71 and 79 for details.
IMPORTANT SAFAVID DISH FROM MECHED
Blue-white ceramic, with a poly-lobed rim, decorated “à la chinoise” with a young woman and her servant, in the center of a frieze of Chinese motifs. The rim is decorated with radiating quarters with flowers and birds. Chips, small chips and rubs. Hanging hole at the heel.
Iran, Meched, 17th century. Diam. 47 cm
Reference A. Lane, ” Later Islamic Pottery “, 1971, n° 78.
TWO CHINESE ISLAMIC INCENSE BURNERS
In bronze, tripod, chiseled, the smaller one is decorated in “sîni”, with the inscription: “Qâla al-nabi-Nûr al-dârïin-tilâwat al-Qur’ân”, the other bronze is decorated with an illegible Arabic inscription.
China, Xuande, 19th century. Height 7 and 14 cm
LARGE BASIN AND ITS DISPLAY STAND IN CANTON PORCELAIN OF THE “BLUE SERVICE” OF ZILL-I SULTAN, DATED 1297H./1880
Richly enamelled in polychrome and gilded, decorated inside and outside with poly-lobed registers in reserve on a midnight blue background dotted with white and green scrolls, animated by scenes of characters, flowers and birds, two calligraphic roundels in nasta’liq on the outside, dated.
China for the oriental market, 1879-1880.
… to the Middle East
VIEW OF MECCA, INDIA
Watercolor and gouache on cardboard. A bird’s eye view of Mecca showing the sacred precinct, the Ka’ba in the center, the Minbar, the “Maqam” of Abraham, and a part of the city on a green landscape background.
IN VIEW : 29 X 42 cm (11 7/16 X 16 9/16 IN.)
WATERCOLOR DEPICTING MECCA, INDIA, 20TH CENTURY
Watercolor and gouache on paper. A bird’s-eye view of Mecca showing the sacred precinct, the Ka’ba in the center, the Minbar, the Maqam of Abraham, the as-Salam Gate in the foreground, the Gate of Abraham in the background, and a portion of the city.
India, 20th century. VIEW: 24,5 X 33,5cm (9 5/8 X 13 3/16 IN.)
MUGHAL ” HUQQA ” NARGHILE BASE
In gilt silver, chased and engraved, decorated with floral stems. (Small bumps).
Mughal India, probably 18th century. HEIGHT. 17 cm – DIAM. 14 cm WEIGHT. 1 146 g
“INDIAN “KHANJAR
With a rock crystal handle carved with floral stems inlaid with colored glass cabochons set in gold nets, the pommel in crook, and the blade with damascus effect to the heel inlaid with gold calligraphic and plant decoration.
India. Length: 37 cm
LARGE INDIAN PEACOCK KHANJAR WITH BLADE DATED 1881
With carved rock crystal handle, with plant decoration inlaid with gold fillets and set with red glass cabochons, the pommel in the shape of a peacock with eyes inlaid on both sides, pecking a pine cone. Double-curved, double-edged blade decorated with a gold damascened polylobed reserve with calligraphic decoration bearing a date 1299H./1881 on one side and foliage on the other side.
Length: 40,5 cm
INDIAN ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENT “JALI
In beige marble, of rectangular form, composed of an arcature, supported by two columns, with openwork decoration of interlaces forming a network of mandorla, bordered by a floral frame.
India, 20th century. Dim. 120 x 90 cm
INDIAN BAZU-BAND AMULET HOLDER
In silver with low title, composed of an oval plate in chiseled agate decorated with inscriptions in nasta’liq, on which are fixed two tubular amulet holders covered with a silver leaf with floral decoration embossed and chiseled, the lids domed. (Missing a lid).
India, late 19th century. Length : 8,5cm – Reliquary size : 8,5cm
INDIAN CALLIGRAPHY SIGNED BY MIRZA UMAR Bidari AND DATED 1859
Calligraphic composition in black ink and gouache on paper, consisting of a large line of text representing the names of Allah, Muhammad, Abu Bakk, Umar, Utham, and Ali. Below, a hadith, “law laka, law laka li-ma khalaqtu al-aflaka”. Background decorated with polychrome painted flowers in the corners. Margin decorated with religious proverbs on a green background (later). Signed Mirza Umar Bidari and dated 1276H./1859-60. Framed under glass.
India, Deccan, 1859. Size at sight : 40 x 57,5 cm
LARGE INDIAN “KHANJAR
With dark green jade handle carved with floral decoration inlaid with colored glass cabochons set in gilded metal nets. Strong double-curved blade with damascus effect, decorated with two polylobed medallions in the form of fleuron decorated with leafy stems and calligraphy in gold damascus.
Length: 44 cm
INDIAN “BAZUBAND” ARM ORNAMENT
In three articulated parts, in dark and light gray jade set with gold; two parts inlaid with a yellow almond stone, and the central part with a green stone. The three stones are chiseled with inscriptions in nasta’liq script in praise of God.
Northern India, Mughal, probably 18th century. Length: 11,5 cm
INDIAN PENDANT
Composed of a celadon nephrite jade plate, chiseled and inlaid with gold nets, decorated with a religious proverb, holding five small pearls in fall. Three small cabochons (two emeralds and one turquoise) decorate the upper part. The reverse side is decorated with polychrome enamels (minai work) with floral decoration on a white background. On a black silk cord (plate cracked).
Northern India, Rajasthan, Jaipur, early 20th century. Dim. 6 x 4,4 cm – Weight : 29 g (2.2 x 1.7 in. – 0.06 lbs)
ELEGANT RECTANGULAR INDIAN BOX
Wooden box inlaid with mother-of-pearl and decorated with scrolls of palmettes, fleurons and arabesques. The lid of the box is decorated with a calligraphic band of the “Basmallah” in “nasta’liq”. Twelve metal fittings chiseled on the sides. The interior painted in red. Minor damages.
India, in the style of Gujarat. Dim. 30 x 7,5 x 8,5 cm
SMALL INDIAN KORAN WITH SIGNATURE AND DATE
Manuscript on paper. 465 folios of 14 lines per page in “naskhi” on alternating yellow and green gold bands, in a gold frame. Signs of reading in red. Sura titles in white ink on a gilt background. Double illuminated frontispiece. The colophon bears the signature of “Ahmad Nayrizî” and the date 1120 AH/1708-09 and a dedication to “Shah Sultan Hoseyn”. Bound in red leather with painted lines and grey dots.
India, 18th century.
“INDIAN “KORAN
Manuscript in “naskhi” with a double illuminated frontispiece, titles on gilt background and numerous marginal illuminations. Painted binding with floral decoration, in poor condition.
Dim. 15 x 9 x 4 cm
TWO INDIAN CALLIGRAPHIES
Ink, gouache and gold on paper, mounted on album page. The large composition presents a text of 5 lines in large “nasta’liq” writing diagonally in clouds of polychrome floral seedlings on a gold background, signed faqir ‘Arshî (humble ‘Arshi). Blue border and pink margin. The illuminations were added later. The small calligraphy presents 7 lines in “nasta’liq” on the bias in clouds of polychrome scrolls on a golden background, signed Mir ‘Ali al-Katib.
India or Iran, 16th – 17th century and later. Page size : 15 X 9,3 cm and 28,6 X 18,4 cm
INDO-PERSIAN POETRY COLLECTION OF THE 19TH CENTURY
Manuscript on paper of 15 lines of text per page on two columns, the text surrounded by golden clouds. Double frontispiece illuminated with floral motifs. Paper mache binding painted in polychrome with flowers on the inside cover and a tapestry composition of medallions and spandrels on the outside, dated on the inside cover 1296H/ 1878-79. (Wear).
Kashmir, circa 1878-80. Dim. 22 x 14 cm
INDIAN TRIPOD COMPASS MADE BY MINGARAN AND DATED 1873
In engraved brass, with a movable rise and a compass decorated with an inscription in “naskh”: “This compass was made by Mingaran student of Rachid Lâlé nagir l’al in 1290 H. (1873)”.
India, 1873. Height 15 cm
BEAUTIFUL INDO-PERSIAN HELMET “KÔLAH-KHOUD
A bomb in steel engraved and damascened with gold and silver, decorated with epigraphic cartouches and medallions animated with plant garlands and rabbits, topped by a point with four sides, the whole on a base decorated with flowers. With its mobile nose cone, pen-holder in steel cut and decorated in suite, and decorated with a beautiful camail with eight unequal points.
Iran, Qajar period, 19th century. Height (total): 63cm (H.24 13/16 IN.)
INDIAN STATIONARY
Ceramic painted in cobalt blue and turquoise on a white background, decorated with a calligraphic text in Arabic and Persian (Chips).
India, Sindh. Height. 28,5 cm – Length. 28 cm
CONTACTS
Déborah Teboul
Director of the Asian and Oriental Arts Department
T. +33 1 53 30 30 57
[email protected]
Wei Wang
Specialist Asian Art Department
T. +33 1 53 30 30 65
[email protected]
Press and Communication Department
Ariane de Miramon
T. +33 1 53 30 30 68
37, rue des Mathurins, 75008 Paris
[email protected]