Abstract
This study examines the Liège Qur’an printed lithographically in 1829 as one of the earliest European attempts to produce the Qur’anic text through lithographic printing. The research adopts a bibliographical and analytical approach based on Orientalist catalogues, modern critical studies, and contemporary documentary sources related to the publication of the edition. The study investigates the material structure of the Qur’an, analyzes its calligraphic and decorative features, and identifies the textual irregularities and linguistic errors that characterized the copying and printing process. It also discusses the unresolved issue of the copyist’s identity and the technical background of the project. Furthermore, the paper traces the early documentation of the edition in the French Journal Asiatique in 1830 and its later inclusion in Victor Chauvin’s bibliographical encyclopedia in 1907, demonstrating the continued Orientalist interest in this edition despite the project’s early failure and abandonment. The study concludes that the significance of the Liège Qur’an lies not in its textual accuracy or printing success, but in its historical value as a document reflecting the interaction between European lithographic printing and Orientalist Qur’anic studies during the nineteenth century, representing an early example of what may be termed the “archive of printing failure” in book history.
Keywords:
Liège Qur’an; Lithographic Printing; History of Qur’an Printing; Orientalism; Bibliography; Book History; Printed Qur’ans; Victor Chauvin; Bauden and Martin; Nineteenth Century.