A Calligrapher in Tumult: The Life of Abdollāh Tabbākh Heravi and an Evaluation of a Quranic Manuscript of His in the Āstāne Qods Razavi Complex

Abdollāh Tabbākh Heravi was a 9th AH/15th AD century calligrapher who worked at the Timurid kitābatkhāneh (transcription center) in Herat. He was an apprentice of Ja’far Bāysonquri. In addition to the application of the aqlāme sitteh (the six pens), he was also fairly skilled at nasta’liq script. The climax of his artistic career coincides with uproars in Herat and consequently, the dispersal of artists from Bāysonqur’s workshop. Therefore, he could be regarded as a connection between two periods of heyday at Herat court. Today a Quranic manuscript in his handwriting is preserved in Āstāne Qods Razavi, Mashhad. This manuscript has been accomplished on the order of Alāod-dawleh, Bāysonqur’s son, and the deputy, Shāhrokh Teymuri in 845 AH/1442 AD. The present essay examines the status of Abdollāh Tabbākh Heravi in the Timurid history of calligraphy, and does so the mentioned Quran and its particular features.