Or 15806

A treatise on the art of calligraphy, in verse form, dedicated to Prince, later Sultan, Selim [II] (reigned 974-82 AH/1566-74 CE). The author is named on the title page (f 1r) as Seyit ül-Küttab ve'l-Hattatin İbrahim el-Hüseyni el-Kureyşi el-Mukri Nefiszade, who also composed Nüzhetü'l-enām fi ilmi'l-kitabe ve'l-aklam (Or 15744).

There is a problem concerned with the dating of the work and of this manuscript. The formula that follows the author's name, "atahu Allah el-hayr ve ziyade", indicates that he was alive (or believed to be) at the time of writing. The date of composition is given on f 21v as 962 AH (1554-55 CE), on the basis of the chronogram ey selh-i mah-i Recep, whereas the colophon is dated 1148 AH (1735-36 CE). It apears likely that the formula in question was copied without alteration from the source manuscript.

The work begins with exordia praising God, the Prophet, and the four first Caliphs, (ff 1v-3v). The author then explains his reasons for composing the poem (ff 3v-5v) before praying for the well-being and success of the heir to the throne (ff 5v-6v). He then considers aspects of writing materials and instruments, and appropriate times and places for calligraphy (ff 6v-8r) before explaining that the dot is the measure of proportion in writing (f 8r). The remainder of the treatise(ff 8v-21r) is devoted to the characteristics of each letter or combination of letters. Each letter is described in turn in alphabetical order, the description being illustrated by example letters in one or more of the following calligraphic styles, depending on whether their form varies according to the style: muhakkak, sülüs, tevki'.

According to the colophon (f 21v), the manuscript was copied ("sattarehu") in 1148 AH (1736 CE) by İsmail Hamit, who signs himself İsmail İbn-i Hamit il-Hamidi el-meşhur bi-hüsnü'l-hatt in Or 15744.