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The Ascension of the Prophet Muhammad, folio from a Khamsa (“Quintet”) of Nizami
The Ascension of the Prophet Muhammad, folio from a Khamsa (“Quintet”) of Nizami
Public domain: Image courtesy of the Worcester Art Museum.

The Ascension of the Prophet Muhammad, folio from a Khamsa (“Quintet”) of Nizami

Artist/Culture (Persian, late 15th–early 16th century)
Date1400s
Mediumwatercolor, gold metallic paint, and ink on paper
Dimensionsimage: 18.5 × 9.8 cm (7 5/16 × 3 7/8 in.)
sheet: 27.8 × 17.8 cm (10 15/16 × 7 in.)
ClassificationsNon-Western Miniatures
Credit LineMuseum Purchase
Object number1918.17
DescriptionIllumination from book by Baba Shah Ispahani "History of Joseph"
Label TextLater Islamic art abounds with depictions of the Mi'raj, the Prophet's ascension or legendary night flight through the heavens. These appear both as illustrations to poems and as indepndent works of art. Some images show the flight above Jerusalem, while others depict the flight above Mecca. Buraq is the Prophet's miraculous mount. Although portrayals of the Prophet such as this one are found in many different traditions within Islamic art, Muhammad's injunctions against the making of images usually led to the convention of painting a vaeil over his face as in this example.ProvenanceBrooks Reed Gallery, Boston MA
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