Miniature from volume 20 of a copy of Abu’l-Faraj al-Isfahani’s Kitab al-Aghani, Iraq, Mosul; 616 H = 1219, 28.5 × 21.5 cm. Permanent loan from the Royal Library. Inv. no. D 1/1990. © The David Collection.

The Book of Songs is an anthology of early Arabic poetry that not only has literary value, but is also important from a cultural historical point of view. This copy originally consisted of 20 volumes and was made by Muhammad ibn Abi Talib al-Badri, probably for the ruler of Mosul, Badr al-Din Lulu, whose name can be found on the horseman’s tiraz band.