Anthology (Dīvān), by Shāhī

Anthology (Dīvān), by the poet Shāhī (d. 1453). The book of poetry opens to a double page scene, showing young men seated together in a garden. A prince, sitting against a cushion on a felt mat, listens to a friend reading out poems from a slim book (in the narrow "safina" format). On low tables there are long-necked wine bottles, of blue and white porcelain, or jewelled metal. Over the garden wall, flowering trees and a pollarded willow (with fresh green branches) show that it is springtime. Some of this manuscript's early ownership history is revealed through the addition of stamps and notes: these show that in June 1556, the book was in the imperial Mughal library in Delhi. At this date, emperor Akbar's father Humayun had died recently (in January 1556). His mother Hamida Banu Begum (1527-1604, Humayun's widow) may have been the book's next owner: her personal seal was added in 1560-61 (968H). The next two Mughal Emperors, Jahangir (r. 1605-1627) and his son Shah Jahan (r. 1628-1658), also each added notes to the manuscript's pages, in 1605 and 1632 respectively. Codex, ink, colours and gold on paper, 46 folios, Persian text in nasta`liq script, illuminated headings throu