This translation was made possible thanks to the efforts of Jean-Pierre Abel-Rémusat (1788 – 1832), who was able to decipher the Uighur script. In 1977 a first facsimile of the paintings was published3 and more recently a new facsimile was edited in Tashkent.
The Mi‘raj-nama is bound in disorder. In its present state, Supplément turc contains 60 paintings; all are illustrating the Mi‘raj-nama. Four F.s are missing.
The date of completion and the place of copying of this Mi‘raj-nama still remain a mystery and a subject of interrogation amongst the specialists. The manuscript does not include any dedication or mention of the recipient or first owner. Only the text and the style of the paintings can inform us.
It is now generally agreed to propose the dates of 1436 or 1437 for its realization and it is thought that it was copied and illustrated in Herat.
You can learn more about the topic in the book-album "Illustrated manuscripts from Mawarannahr in the collections of France" (Volume XXIX) in the series "The Cultural Legacy of Uzbekistan".
The main sponsor of the project is the oilfield services company Eriell-Group.
