Bidspirit auction | AN EROTIC MANUSCRIPT LAZZAT AL-NISA

AN EROTIC MANUSCRIPT LAZZAT AL-NISA THE PLEASURE OF WOMEN, DATED 1259 AH, 18TH CENTURY - An illuminated and Illustrated manuscript of the Lazzat al-Nisa (The Pleasure of Women), a classic translation and adaptation of the Indian sexological treatise, the Koka Shastra. The text is transcribed in black Nasta'liq script within gold and blue ruled borders on cream-coloured paper. The manuscript features a polychrome and gold illuminated headpiece (unwan) on the opening leaf. It contains seven hand-painted miniatures, consisting of two scenes depicting figures in interior courtly settings and five erotic illustrations showing various sexual positions as described in the text. Headings are written in red ink throughout. The introductory text includes a panegyric mentioning Sultan Bayezid Khan. The volume is bound in brown leather over boards, decorated with stamped gilt floral mandorla ornaments to the centre of both covers. 26 by 15cm