Research Objective: This study, considering the importance of page layout and framing in the art of illumination, aims to conduct a comparative examination of these two elements in two different periods of the Shiraz school. In this regard, it seeks to answer the following questions: What are the characteristics of page layout No. 414 from the Timurid period and Manuscript No. 136 from the Safavid manuscripts separately, and what are the similarities, differences, and overall organization of layout and framing in these two Qur’anic manuscripts?
Research Method / Approach: The research was conducted using a library-based method and a descriptive-analytical approach, analyzing manuscripts 414 and 136 from the Astan Quds Razavi collection.
Findings and Results: The findings indicate that manuscript 414 features a simple and linear layout; the text is centrally arranged in a square, with horizontal inscriptions at the top and bottom and a simple margin. Manuscript 136, in contrast, exhibits a more complex and diverse layout, including shamsas, headpieces, corner pieces, and frontispieces. Both manuscripts employ diverse templates, including scrollwork and geometric frames, tables, and khattāʾi bands. However, the Timurid manuscript emphasizes simplicity and text prominence, whereas the Safavid manuscript demonstrates more elaborate framing and shamsa/headpiece arrangements, highlighting the margins as well. Analysis of text-to-margin proportion shows that manuscript 414 allocates approximately 85% of the space to text and 15% to margins, whereas manuscript 136 maintains an almost equal distribution. These differences reflect the artistic approaches and aesthetic principles of the Timurid and Safavid periods, demonstrating that both manuscripts achieved unique and distinctive illumination using varied forms