Mughal Narrative Illustrations

Colorful Mughal miniatures depicting tales from notable texts. Scenes include courtly life, mythical heroes, and dramatic narratives, showcasing intricate details and rich cultural themes.

Kay Kaus, King of Persia, captured by the King of Hamavaran (Manuscript illumination from the epic Shahname by Ferdowsi) by Iranian master / Private Collection / 1580 / Iran / Gouache on paper / Mythology, Allegory and Literature / 45,5x31,6

"Misbah the Grocer Brings the Spy Parran to his House", Folio from a Hamzanama (The Adventures of Hamza). Artist: Attributed to Dasavanta; Attributed to Mithra. Dimensions: H. 27 7/8 in. (70.8 cm)W. 21 5/8 in. (54.9 cm). Date: ca. 1570.The Hamzanama recounts the adventures of Hamza, an uncle of the Prophet Muhammad who was a legendary defender of the faith. This painting shows Misbah on the right and Parran on the left as they plot to rescue Hamza's kidnapped son. It comes from a multivolume, large-scale copy of the text made for the emperor Akbar, which took approximately fifteen years to complete. Unlike most books, its paintings were possibly meant to be held up for an audience while a storyteller recited the text. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Kay Kaus, King of Persia, captured by the King of Hamavaran (Manuscript illumination from the epic Shahname by Ferdowsi) by Iranian master / Private Collection / 1580 / Iran / Gouache on paper / Mythology, Allegory and Literature / 45,5x31,6

The monkey slain, his blood to be used as medicine for the ailing prince he has bitten, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Fifth Night, c. 1560. Basavana (Indian, active c. 1560-1600). Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper; overall: 20.3 x 14 cm (8 x 5 1/2 in.); painting only: 10.3 x 10.6 cm (4 1/16 x 4 3/16 in.). Wounded by the chess-playing monkeys bite, the princes hand became increasingly infected. The only cure, his doctors said, was to apply the blood of the monkey to the wound and let it dry. Reluctantly, the prince allowed the monkey to be killed. Two men accomplish this serious work at the left. In the right margin is written the name of the artist, the celebrated Basavana. The Tuti-nama contains the earliest known paintings by the prolific master who was instrumental in shaping the Mughal painting style over subsequent decades.

Khusran en Shimi, Anonymous, 1500 - 1600 Persian miniature. drawing A man on horseback makes a woman behind the window in a palace; Text in Persian in four columns at the top and bottom of the show. The show is framed by a wide discolored ivory leaf edge and is located to the right side of the leaf. Persia Presentation: Paper brush / brush

Kaiwan sends a message of love to Khurshid, wife of his brother Utarid who is away on a journey, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Thirty-second Night, c. 1560. Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556-1605). Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper; overall: 20.3 x 14 cm (8 x 5 1/2 in.); painting only: 9.2 x 10 cm (3 5/8 x 3 15/16 in.).

Love couple on a terrace, with two servants behind them, Anonymous, 1790 - 1810 Indian miniature. drawing On a terrace in front of a palace there is a love couple on a colorful rug. Left behind a female servant, right in front of a male servant; In two columns text with Persian handwriting. The performance is in the middle of the leaf and covers the width of two columns of text that are located above and below the performance and also on the back of the leaf. Cashmir paper brush / brush

Sultan Mahmoud, Mirak, Aqa, 1530

Two ladies with their servants on a terrace in front of a palace. Draughtsman: anonymous. Dating: 1790 - 1810. Place: Kashmir. Measurements: h 183 mm × w 108 mm; h 146 mm × w 85 mm. Museum: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

Two blindfolded prisoners are sitting in front of a judge and a prince in a palace hall, in front of the door there is a guard and in a window at the top half a figure is visible, in a window opening behind the judge two figures are visible, above this window and below the prisoners there are two columns with text in Persian handwriting. To the left of the window and around the sultan pieces of paper have disappeared, the representation is placed in a frame of thin lines and pasted on a sheet together with a second representation., Prisoners, draughtsman: anonymous, Persia, 1500 - 1600, voorstelling, :, brush, h 214 mm × w 301 mm, h 142 mm × w 107 mm

"Khusrau Parviz before his Father Hurmuzd ()", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings). Author: Abu'l Qasim Firdausi (935-1020). Dimensions: 8.37 in. high (21.3 cm high). Date: ca. 1430-40.This painting and the two next to it come from the same copy of a highly Persianate Shahnama that was probably made in northern India. The paintings from this book were later placed in an album with brightly colored borders. The illustration may represent two figures of the Sasanian period, Hurmuzd (r. 579-90) and his son Khusrau (r. 590-628). Although here Khusrau makes a humble appearance at his father's court, he later executed Hurmuzd and took the throne.5-. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

"Death of Bahram Chubina", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) ca. 1330-40 Abu'l Qasim Firdausi. "Death of Bahram Chubina", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) 454878

"Bahram Gur Slays a Dragon", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings). Author: Abu'l Qasim Firdausi (935-1020). Dimensions: Page: 8 x 5 1/4 in. (20.3 x 13.3 cm)Painting: 1 5/8 x 4 1/4 in. (4.1 x 10.8 cm). Date: ca. 1330-40.While out hunting, Bahram Gur encountered an awesome dragon. He shot two arrows into it and cut it open with his sword. The shah was horrified to find a dead youth inside it. Half- blinded by his grief for the youth and by the dragon's venom, Bahram pulled the body out of the dragon. In spite of the patch over the center of the picture, the scene is quite clear. The shah's horse appears stiffly-even crudely-drawn, but the foliage of the tree on the left and the stalwart determination expressed by the figure of Bahram are well executed. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Folio from a Kalila wa Dimna. Dimensions: 12.5 in. high 8.87 in. wide (31.8 cm high 22.6 cm wide). Date: 18th century. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Four figures on a terrace in front of the gate of a palace. Draughtsman: anonymous. Dating: 1790 - 1810. Place: Kashmir. Measurements: h 182 mm × w 113 mm; h 145 mm × w 85 mm. Museum: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

The young man of Baghdad reunited with his slave-girl, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Forty-eighth Night, c. 1560. Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556-1605). Opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on paper; overall: 20.3 x 14 cm (8 x 5 1/2 in.); painting only: 10.7 x 10.1 cm (4 3/16 x 4 in.). After the young man was left behind by his merchant ship, his lover, the slave girl, believed that he was dead. She erected a monument in his honor and donned black clothes of mourning, yet fate brought them together again. Here, the two lovers embrace in front of the young mans empty grave.

The Parrot Addresses Khujasta at the Beginning of the Seventh Night, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot), c. 1560. Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556-1605). Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper; overall: 20.3 x 14 cm (8 x 5 1/2 in.); painting only: 9 x 10 cm (3 9/16 x 3 15/16 in.).

The merchant has the hated skull crushed and placed in a box, from a Tuti-nama, Tales of a Parrot. Tutinama, Tales of a Parrot, is a series of 52 stories in Persian from the 14th century, in the 16th century Mughal Emperor Agbar commissioned an illustrated version, Twenty-third Night, c. 1560. Mughal India, Court of Akbar (ruled 1556-1605), Historical, digitally restored reproduction from an original of the period

Rajasthani miniature painting from Rajasthan, India. Probably late 19th century or early 20th century. Upper class people sitting in a garden pergola enjoying entertainers one who appears to be throwing something into the air while the other waits to catch it.

The Siege of Baghdad by Tahir, from the Tarikh-i-Alfi. Origin: India. Period: Mughal dynasty. Opaque watercolor, ink and gold on paper. Date: ca. 1592-94. Museum: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.

"Rudaba Makes a Ladder of Her Tresses", Folio 72v from the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp. Artist: Painting attributed to Qadimi (active ca. 1525-65). Author: Abu'l Qasim Firdausi (935-1020). Dimensions: Painting: H. 11 in. (27.9 cm) W. 7 1/4 in. (18.4 cm)Page: H. 18 1/2 in. (47 cm) W. 12 1/4 in. (31.1 cm)Mat: H. 22 in. (55.9 cm)W. 16 in. (40.6 cm). Date: ca. 1525.One of Rudaba's maids sneaks Zal through the palace to the princess's pavilion. Although Rudaba lowers her tresses for him to scale the wall, Zal tosses up his lasso to catch the crenellation at the roof, then climbs up to meet his beloved. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Folio from a Kalila wa Dimna. Dimensions: 12.5 in. high 8.87 in. wide (31.8 cm high 22.6 cm wide). Date: 18th century. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

The romance and legend of Alexander the Great (356-323 BC) was recounted endlessly in Islamic art and literature from Southern Russia to the gates of India, often under the name of Iskandar. Alexander talking to wise men and scholars. After a Persian manuscript.

Unidentified Scene from a Shahnama (Book of Kings). Author: Abu'l Qasim Firdausi (935-1020). Dimensions: OveralL. 12 5/8 x 8 1/2in. (32.1 x 21.6cm)Dimensions of painting: 9 1/16 x 5 7/8in. (23 x 14.9cm). Date: late 19th-early 20th century. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

A group of men stands in a rocky landscape in front of a kind of volcano where a half-dressed saint with flames is sitting around his head, in the background a shepherd with goats and sheep. The representation is irregular in shape and framed by narrow black framing lines colored with gold, this leaf is the first in a triptych., Group of men in a rocky landscape with a saint figure, draughtsman: anonymous, Iran, 1400 - 1700, paper, brush, h 164 mm, w 127 mm × h 134 mm, h 252 mm × w 150 mm

The infant son of the king of Isfahan responds to music, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Thirteenth Night, c. 1560. Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556-1605). Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper; overall: 20 x 14.1 cm (7 7/8 x 5 9/16 in.); painting only: 12.4 x 10.1 cm (4 7/8 x 4 in.).

Illustration to the epic poem 'The Knight in the Panther's Skin' by Shota Rustaveli by Tseretliseuli, E. Ts. (active 18th century) Georgian National Center of Manuscripts, Tbilisi 18th century Watercolour and ink on paper Georgia Book design Mythol

Battle scene, Anonymous, 1450 - 1470 Persian miniature. drawing War men on horseback tackle each other with crossbows in a hilly landscape, encouraged by a half -bare figure who stays safely behind the hilltops. The show is on the right side of a sky blue with gold spicked leaf and is framed by gold -colored frameworks; In the corner at the bottom left is a cove. Persia paper brush

Alexander the Great holding court in China, 4th century BC. Artist: Unknown

In a pavilion on the left is a prince who is given all kinds of bowls with edible gifts by four ladies in the foreground, while two ladies arrive in the background with jars and carafes. Against a deep blue sky stand a flowering shrub and a tree, the top and bottom edge of the leaf consist of two columns of text with frame lines. The performance is provided with text in two columns on recto and verso and set in frame lines, Prince in a pavilion that is given bowls., draughtsman: anonymous, Kasjmir, 1790 - 1810, paper, brush, brush, h 183 mm × w 106 mm, h 145 mm × w 85 mm

Illustration for "Maria Morevna" Tsarevich Ivan meets Tsarevna Maria. Artist: Boris Zvorykin (Russian, Moscow 1872-1942 Paris). Dimensions: Image: 10 7/8 x 8 3/16 in. (27.6 x 20.8 cm)Sheet: 13 9/26 x 10 1/2 in. (34.5 x 26.7 cm). Date: ca. 1925. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA. Author: Boris Zvorykin.

King Isfandiyar on horseback, Anonymous, 1625 - 1635 Indian miniature. drawing India paper brush

Prince Visiting an Ascetic during a Hunt. India; Kashmir. Date: 1620-1655. Dimensions: Image: 26.5 x 15.2 cm (10 3/8 x 6 in.); Border: 29.3 x 18 cm (11 1/2 x 7 1/8 in.); Paper: 40.8 x 26.5 cm (16 1/16 x 10 3/8 in.). Opaque watercolor, gold, and ink on paper. Origin: India. Museum: The Chicago Art Institute, Chicago, USA.

"The Lion king, With his Mother, Receives Dimna", Folio from a Kalila wa Dimna. Dimensions: 12.5 in. high 8.87 in. wide (31.8 cm high 22.6 cm wide). Date: 18th century. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Prince Kushrau Wanting in a Landscape, Anonymous, 1450 - 1499 Indian miniature. drawing A Persian prince is seated on an orange carpet that is spread by a river. He brings a canvas to his eyes to dry the tears that come up with the sad message of a messenger. Deccan paper brush

The parrot addresses Khujasta at the beginning of the forty-third night, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot), c. 1560. Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556-1605). Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper; overall: 20.3 x 14 cm (8 x 5 1/2 in.); painting only: 9.2 x 10.3 cm (3 5/8 x 4 1/16 in.).

"Zahhak is Told His Fate", Folio 29v from the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp ca. 1524 Abu'l Qasim Firdausi The evil king Zahhak faints when his wise men reveal the meaning of his nightmare: that one Faridun, as yet unborn, will justly bring about his downfall and death. The logical disposition of figures in space reflects the influence of the late Timurid Herat School of painting, whereas the bending rosebush and snail-like clouds at the right derive from Turkmen painting as practiced at Tabriz. The animated characterizations, however, are typical of the work of Sultan Muhammad, head of the royal workshop.. "Zahhak is Told His Fate", Folio 29v from the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp 452113

Hum captures Afrasiyab, Leaf from a Dispersed Shah-nama Series Indian. Hum captures Afrasiyab, Leaf from a Dispersed Shah-nama Series, late 16th century. Opaque watercolor, gold, and silver on paper, 10 5/8 x 7 3/16in. (27 x 18.3cm). Asian Art late 16th century

The monk returns the magic parrot to its rightful owner, the merchant, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Tenth Night, c. 1560. Lalu. Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper; painting only: 5.8 x 10.2 cm (2 5/16 x 4 in.); overall: 20 x 13.2 cm (7 7/8 x 5 3/16 in.).

"Captured Indian Raja Brought to Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni", Folio from a Majma al-Tavarikh (World Histories) ca. 1425 Hafiz-i Abru. "Captured Indian Raja Brought to Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni", Folio from a Majma al-Tavarikh (World Histories). ca. 1425. Ink, opaque watercolor, silver, and gold on brownish paper. Made in present-day Afghanistan, Herat. Codices

Folio from a Kalila wa Dimna second quarter 16th century This manuscript contains seventy-eight paintings and many text folios telling the famous tales of the jackals Kalila and Dimna. Based on the book of ancient Indian animal fables, the Panchatantra written by Vidyapati (Bidpai), the stories spread all over the Middle East where they became wildly popular. This manuscript has a strong flavor of Mamluk Egypt in the figure styles and bold drawings, with hints of Ottoman tulips and Safavid turbans. However, the burnt orange palette and darkly-inked lines have led to an attribution to Sultanate Gujarat where it is suggested this manuscript was copied from an Egyptian original. Its life in India is also attested by a Devanagari inscription at the end, although the rest of the Arabic text is written in a strong, left-leaning naskh-like script.. Folio from a Kalila wa Dimna 453095

Resting prince under a tree, Anonymous, 1537 Persian miniature. drawing A representation of a resting prince under a tree, while his horse bites a dog -like animal in the neck; Up and below the performance four columns text in Persian handwriting, with framework lines in black, gold and red. The leaf all around is painted with golden flower and leaf motifs, the narrow right edge in ornament, the lower left corner diagonally shielded and unpainted. Presentation, text and leaf are a whole. Iran paper brush

The son of the pious man slays the dragon, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Fifty-second Night, c. 1560. Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556-1605). Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper; overall: 20.3 x 14 cm (8 x 5 1/2 in.); painting only: 9 x 10.5 cm (3 9/16 x 4 1/8 in.). The mangled body of the dragon lies at the young mans feet. Two poisoned arrows protrude from its side. The man has killed the dragon in hopes of marrying the kings daughter. Although many warriors and brave men have failed at this task, the young man succeeds with ease.

Two lying figures in an Arcadian landscape, Anonymous, 1400 - 1699 Persian miniature. drawing In a paradise garden, two figures are relaxed on the grass, surrounded by sheep, goats and a dog, behind the ridge a black -dressed figure lurks over the edge, above him a whimsical black cloud. The show is placed in narrow framework lines with gold colored, some animal figures cross the frameworks, the edges of the leaf are not decorated and the left edge is wider than the right. Iran paper brush

"Rustam Fights the Dragon (Rustam's Third Course)", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) ca. 1330-40 Abu'l Qasim Firdausi. "Rustam Fights the Dragon (Rustam's Third Course)", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings). ca. 1330-40. Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper. Made in Iran, probably Isfahan. Codices

"The Father's Advice Followed by a Son who Sets out to Join a Caravan with the Two Oxen", Folio from a Kalila wa Dimna second quarter 16th century This manuscript contains seventy-eight paintings and many text folios telling the famous tales of the jackals Kalila and Dimna. Based on the book of ancient Indian animal fables, the Panchatantra written by Vidyapati (Bidpai), the stories spread all over the Middle East where they became wildly popular. This manuscript has a strong flavor of Mamluk Egypt in the figure styles and bold drawings, with hints of Ottoman tulips and Safavid turbans. However, the burnt orange palette and darkly-inked lines have led to an attribution to Sultanate Gujarat where it is suggested this manuscript was copied from an Egyptian original. Its life in India is also attested by a Devanagari inscription at the end, although the rest of the Arabic text is written in a strong, left-leaning naskh-like script.. "The Father's Advice Followed by a Son who Sets out to J

In order to falsely implicate her husband, Hamnaz places a knife by his side and lets the blood dripping from her nose stain his clothes, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Twenty-fifth Night, c. 1560. Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556-1605). Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper; overall: 20.3 x 14 cm (8 x 5 1/2 in.); painting only: 9.9 x 10.1 cm (3 7/8 x 4 in.). Hamnaz, whose nose was bitten off by her dying lover, leans over her sleeping husband. She intends to frame him for causing the injury so that her affair will not be revealed. When Hamnazs nose is found in the mouth of the dead lover, her husband is absolved.

Arabic Manuscript, Illustrated with Miniatures of Various Formats unknown

Persian miniature by Abd as-Samad, Watercolor, ink, gold color on paper, circa 1586, active 16th century, Usa, Washington, D.C., Freer Gallery of Art, 26,5x42

"The Feast of Sada", Folio 22v from the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp. Artist: Painting attributed to Sultan Muhammad (active first half 16th century). Author: Abu'l Qasim Firdausi (935-1020). Dimensions: Painting: H. 9 1/2 in. (24.1 cm) W. 9 1/16 in. (23 cm)Page: H. 18 1/2 in. (47 cm)W.12 1/2 in. (31.8 cm)Mat: H. 22 in. (55.9 cm)W. 16 in. (40.6 cm). Date: ca. 1525.In the reign of Hushang, grandson of Gayumars, the world came to understand the usefulness of minerals and the arts of smithery, agriculture, and irrigation. One day, Hushang spied a dragon lurking behind the rocks. He hurled a stone at it, which missed the monster but hit a larger rock, causing sparks to fly. Realizing the significance of this phenomenon, Hushang built a large fire and held a feast to celebrate its discovery. The witty yet benevolent depictions of people and animals characterize the liveliest of Sultan Muhammad's creations. Also typical of his style is the oval composition with mountains ri

The painting made by the vizier of the emperor of China for the queen of Rum, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Thirty-ninth Night, c. 1560. Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556-1605). Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper; overall: 20.3 x 14 cm (8 x 5 1/2 in.); painting only: 14.1 x 10.1 cm (5 9/16 x 4 in.).

Miniature from the 'Conference of the Birds' by Attar of Nishapur by Iranian master / The David Collection / The Oriental Arts / ca 1400 / Iran, Timurid Dynasty / Watercolour and ink on paper / Genre,Mythology, Allegory and Literature / 16,5x11,2

Kneeling Youth late 16th century This drawing of a kneeling youth wearing a fur-lined gold cap is based on a work attributed to Shaikh Muhammad, an artist who was active from the 1530s to the end of the 1580s. The gold decoration on the figures robe, the chain of amulets and a purse across his chest, and the landscape elements do not appear in the original. Despite the long tresses, dangling earring, and narrow waist of this figure, his cap and pose indicate that he is a young man.. Kneeling Youth 452501

A Persian miniature is a small painting on paper, whether a book illustration or a separate work of art intended to be kept in an album of such works called a muraqqa. The techniques are broadly comparable to the Western and Byzantine traditions of miniatures in illuminated manuscripts. Although there is an equally well-established Persian tradition of wall-painting, the survival rate and state of preservation of miniatures is better, and miniatures are much the best-known form of Persian painting in the West, and many of the most important examples are in Western, or Turkish, museums. Miniature painting became a significant Persian genre in the 13th century, receiving Chinese influence after the Mongol conquests, and the highest point in the tradition was reached in the 15th and 16th centuries. The tradition continued, under some Western influence, after this, and has many modern exponents. The Persian miniature was the dominant influence on other Islamic miniature traditions, princip

"The Male Dove Pecking the Female Dove", Folio from a Kalila wa Dimna. Dimensions: 12.5 in. high 8.87 in. wide (31.8 cm high 22.6 cm wide). Date: 18th century. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Alexander the Great (356-323 BC). 18th century Persian manuscript in Islamic style illustrating the12th century Persian poet Nezami 'Book of Alexander the Great' (Eskandar-nameh). The legend of Alexander was told and retold in Islamic art and literature from Southern Russia to the gates of India.

Fight between Maina and Chanda. The show is shared in two horizontally; In the upper part there is a man with a monkey-like face with a building; In the lower part, two women are embroiled in a fight, flanked by two assigned spectarters. The show is framed by narrow frame lines in black, red and blue; The incredible edge is highly discolored; The magazine is damaged here and there.

The parrot speaks to Khujasta at the beginning of the forty-fourth night, from a Tuti-nama, Tales of a Parrot. Tutinama, Tales of a Parrot, is a series of 52 stories in Persian from the 14th century, in the 16th century Mughal Emperor Agbar commissioned an illustrated version, c. 1560. Mughal India, Court of Akbar (ruled 1556-1605) ., Historical, digitally restored reproduction from an original of the period

Textile Hanging Textile Hanging, ca. 1698. Silk, metal, cotton, Textile dims, observed 2006 :: 71 5/8 x 45 in. (181.9 x 114.3 cm). Asian Art ca. 1698

The lover (Krsna) in conversation with the messenger from the beloved from a Rasikapriya. Period: Mughal dynasty. Opaque color and gold on paper. Origin: Agra, Uttar Pradesh state, India. Date: ca. 1617. Museum: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.

35mm original

Maharana Sangram Singh II of Mewar (r. 1710-34) and Stages a Boar Hunt with Tigers at Sadri, c. 1720. Northwestern India, Rajasthan, Rajput Kingdom of Mewar. Gum tempera and gold on paper; painting: 48.3 x 53.4 cm (19 x 21 in.). The king, who has the title of maharana” in this region, is identifiable by his halo. Standing behind a safety net at the corner of the white platform, he aims his arrow to shoot the boar and prove his skill and virility to his courtiers and priest. Two royal domesticated tigers are led into the arena at the top edge, and they are depicted multiple times chasing and capturing the prey.

A relief carving on a mountain near Bîsitûn showing Khusrau mounted on a horse top; A relief carving showing Khusrau meeting Shîrîn bottom, f. 240v. 1540 - 1545. Qazwīnī, Zakarīyā ibn Muammad, approximately 1203-1283. text. Illuminations, Manuscripts, Miniatures (Illuminations). Spencer Collection. Mountains, Birds, Animals, Manuscripts, Persian

The street sweeper, on his way to see King Bhojaraja, sleeps under a tree where four thieves disguised as fellow travellers give him a priceless pearl, from a Tuti-nama, Tales of a Parrot. Tutinama, Tales of a Parrot, is a series of 52 stories in Persian from the 14th century, in the 16th century Mughal Emperor Agbar commissioned an illustrated version, Twelfth Night, c. 1560. India of the Mughals, Court of Akbar (ruled 1556-1605), Historical, digitally restored R

Maharana Amar Singh II with Ladies of the Zenana outside the Picture Hall at Rajnagar. Artist: Attributed to Stipple Master (Indian, active ca. 1690-1715). Culture: India (Udaipur, Rajasthan). Dimensions: Page: 18 7/8 x 14 7/8 in. (47.9 x 37.8 cm)Image: 9 1/2 x 7 5/16 in. (24.1 x 18.6 cm). Date: ca. 1707-8.Rajnagar, not far from Udaipur, had a special importance for Amar Singh II and therefore also for his artists. Around the years 1692-98, the Stipple Master served as painter to Prince Amar Singh (the future Maharana Amar Singh II). In this work--as in many others by the Stipple Master--Amar Singh II appears naked to the waist, and the painter's technique of dots and short strokes is clearly visible on his subject's torso. The background is largely unpainted, and color accents are employed with great restraint. Particularly apparent is the artist's use of a hierarchical ordering that depicts the prince larger than the attendant ladies of the zenana.About the ArtistStipple MasterA

Ragini Bilaval, Page from a Jaipur Ragamala Set 1745-1770 Rajasthan. Opaque watercolor on paper .

'Battle Scene'. Iran, 18th century ( ). Dimensions: 53,0x70,0 cm. Museum: State Hermitage, St. Petersburg.

King Bhojaraja tries in vain to ascertain the whereabouts of the pearl from the four travelling companions, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Twelfth Night, c. 1560. Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556-1605). Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper; overall: 20.3 x 14 cm (8 x 5 1/2 in.); painting only: 7.5 x 10.1 cm (2 15/16 x 4 in.).

The Battle Between Kay Khusraw and the King of Makran by Turkmen Master / The David Collection / The Oriental Arts / 1494 / Iran, Timurid Dynasty / Watercolour on parchment / Mythology, Allegory and Literature,History / 34,5x24,5

The Tale of the Twelve Faces. "Bizhan Addresses the Army": Illustration from the Firdausi Shahnama (recto); The Tale of the Twelve Faces. "The Warriors Engage in Combat": Illustration from the Firdausi Shahnama (verso), 1341. Iran, Shiraz, Inju (Il-Khanid), 14th Century. Opaque watercolor and ink on paper; sheet: 36.3 x 30 cm (14 5/16 x 11 13/16 in.); image: 28.6 x 24.5 cm (11 1/4 x 9 5/8 in.); overall: 37 x 30 cm (14 9/16 x 11 13/16 in.); text area: 29 x 24.5 cm (11 7/16 x 9 5/8 in.).

Milkmaids on the Riverbank, Folio from a Rasikapriya (The Connoisseur's Delights). India, Rajasthan, Mewar, circa 1650. Drawings; watercolors. Opaque watercolor and gold on paper

A page of the Dastan-i Amir Hamza (Hamzanama). Date/Period: Ca. 1567-1582. Opaque Watercolours. Opaque watercolour and gold paint on cotton opaque watercolour and gold paint on cotton. Height: 660 mm (25.98 in); Width: 493 mm (19.40 in). Author: Mughal.

The merchants daughter meets the gardener, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Twelfth Night, c. 1560. India, Mughal court, 16th century. Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper; overall: 20.3 x 14 cm (8 x 5 1/2 in.); painting only: 9.8 x 10.1 cm (3 7/8 x 4 in.).

Kay Khusrau kills the shah of Makrân in battle.. 1616. Firdawsî. text. illuminated manuscripts, Illuminations, Manuscripts. Spencer Collection. Manuscripts, Persian

Two Dragons Entwined on a Spray of Stylized Foliage. Turkey, about 1575. Paintings. Ink, color washes, and gold on paper

Tayang Khan Presented with the Head of the Mongol Leader Ong Khan (Miniature from Jami' al-tawarikh (Universal History) by Miskina (active 1590-1600) / The David Collection / The Oriental Arts / c. 1596 / India, Mughal school / Watercolour and ink on pap

Yahya ibn Mahmod al-Wasiti was a 13th-century Arab Islamic artist. Al-Wasiti was born in Wasit in southern Iraq. He was noted for his illustrations of the Maqam of al-Hariri. Maqama (literally 'assemblies') are an (originally) Arabic literary genre of rhymed prose with intervals of poetry in which rhetorical extravagance is conspicuous. The 10th century author Badi' al-Zaman al-Hamadhani is said to have invented the form, which was extended by al-Hariri of Basra in the next century. Both authors' maqamat center on trickster figures whose wanderings and exploits in speaking to assemblies of the powerful are conveyed by a narrator. Manuscripts of al-Hariri's Maqamat, anecdotes of a roguish wanderer Abu Zayd from Saruj, were frequently illustrated with miniatures.

Raga, a man sitting on a couch is surrounded by three women. Draughtsman: anonymous. Dating: c. 1775. Place: India. Measurements: h 158 mm × w 108 mm. Museum: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

Toilet of a princess. Draughtsman: anonymous. Designer: anonymous. Dating: 1526 - 1857. Place: India. Measurements: h 187 mm × w 246 mm. Museum: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

King on a throne. Draughtsman: anonymous. Dating: 1395 - 1405. Place: Persia. Measurements: h 153 mm × w 119 mm; h 105 mm × w 77 mm. Museum: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

Bound Manuscript of the Khamsa of Nizami Nizami. Bound Manuscript of the Khamsa of Nizami, late 16th century. Ink, opaque watercolor, pasteboard, leather, gold on paper, 8 1/4 x 13 3/8 in. (21 x 34 cm). Arts of the Islamic World late 16th century

"Gushtasp Kills the Wolf of Fasiqun", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings). Author: Abu'l Qasim Firdausi (935-1020). Dimensions: 6 1/2 x 5in. (16.5 x 12.7cm). Date: ca. 1300-30. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

"Bahram Chubina Kills the Lion-Shaped Ape Monster", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings). Author: Abu'l Qasim Firdausi (935-1020). Dimensions: Text block: 6 5/16 x 5 in. (16 x 12.7 cm)Painting: 1 15/16 x 5 1/2 in. (5 x 14 cm). Date: ca. 1300-30. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

"Bahram Chubina Slays the Lion-Ape", Folio 715v from the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp ca. 1530-35 Abu'l Qasim Firdausi To thank the Khaqan of Chin for granting him safe haven, Bahram Chubina resolved to rid his hosts land of Kappi the lion-ape, a ferocious creature that had devoured the Khaqans daughter. Mir Musavvir delighted in the depiction of the red- and green-eyed monster, rendering every detail of its scaly skin and bloody wounds with fastidious care. The bystanders raise fingers to their lips in astonishment as Bahram Chubina delivers the coup de grace.. "Bahram Chubina Slays the Lion-Ape", Folio 715v from the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp 452183

Pîlsam fights an Iranian hero.. 1616. Firdawsî. text. illuminated manuscripts, Illuminations, Manuscripts. Spencer Collection. Manuscripts, Persian

Mughal painting. Alexander the Great directing building of a wall of fire against Gog and Magog. 1600.

Vishnu on worldly long Ananta, birth of Brahma. Draughtsman: anonymous. Dating: 1790 - 1810. Place: Kashmir. Measurements: h 93 mm × w 143 mm; h 70 mm × w 113 mm. Museum: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

Horse Throne, from a Set of Initiation Cards (Tsakali). Tibet. Date: 1299-1499. Dimensions: 16 x 14.5 cm (6 1/4 x 5 3/4 in.). Ink and watercolor on paper. Origin: Tibet. Museum: The Chicago Art Institute, Chicago, USA.

Chittra Shala courtyard with virtuoso fine paintings, Taragarh Fort, Bundi, Bundi, Rajasthan, India, Asia

The Quest of Salm. From a Shahnameh, gouache heightened with gold on paper. Shiraz, circa 1460, miniature, 22.8 x 15.2cm.

Kanhra Ragini, Third Wife of Dipak Raga, Folio from a Ragamala (Garland of Melodies). India, Madhya Pradesh, Datia (), circa 1700-1730. Drawings; watercolors. Opaque watercolor, gold, and ink on paper

Suhrâb menaces Rustam with a knife.. 1616. Firdawsî. text. illuminated manuscripts, Illuminations, Manuscripts. Spencer Collection. Manuscripts, Persian

Two nude dwarfs who inhabit trees on the island of Râmî (Jazîrat al-Râmî), today known as Sumatra top; Similar to f.75v top bottom, f. 75v. 1540 - 1545. Qazwīnī, Zakarīyā ibn Muammad, approximately 1203-1283. text. Illuminations, Manuscripts, Miniatures (Illuminations). Spencer Collection. Mountains, Birds, Animals, Manuscripts, Persian

Arjuna Kicks Babhruvahana on the Chest for His Unheroic Act (recto), Babhruvahana Surrenders the Sacrificial Horse Syamakarna to His Father Arjuna (verso), Scenes from the Story of Babhruvahana, Folio from a Mahabharata (War of the Great Bharatas). India, Maharashtra, Paithan, circa 1850. Drawings; watercolors. Opaque watercolor on paper

MUHAMMAD (570-632). Prophet and founder of Islam. Muhammad in ecstasy. Islamic art. Miniature Painting. FRANCE. ëLE-DE-FRANCE. Paris. National Library.

Scene in a harem, miniature from Shahnameh or The Persian Book of Kings, by Ferdowsi, Persia 17th Century.

Kasuga Deer Mandala, mid-1300s to 1400s. Japan, Nanbokuchō period (1336-92) to Muromachi period (1392-1573). Hanging scroll; ink, color and gold on silk; image: 95.6 x 39.1 cm (37 5/8 x 15 3/8 in.); mounted: 184.2 x 63.8 cm (72 1/2 x 25 1/8 in.).

Pîrân escapes from Gûdarz.. 1616. Firdawsî. text. illuminated manuscripts, Illuminations, Manuscripts. Spencer Collection. Manuscripts, Persian

Anonymous watercolor with gold paint depicting a princely move-in scene, including figures, furnishings, and ceremonial context.

JINETES ARABES EJERCITANDOSE EN TIRO CON ARCO - MANUSCRITO DEL SIGLO XV. Location: NATIONAL LIBRARY. MOSKAU. RUSSIA.

Amr, Disguised as Mazmahil the Surgeon, Practices Quackery on the Sorcerers of Antali Attributed to Dasavanta. Amr, Disguised as Mazmahil the Surgeon, Practices Quackery on the Sorcerers of Antali, ca. 1570. Opaque watercolor and gold on cotton, mounted on paper, 31 x 25 in. (78.7 x 63.5cm). When the Mughal emperors conquered northern India, they brought with them a taste for Persian aesthetics. Early in their reign, the Mughals brought Persian artists from Iran to teach painting techniques and styles to artists in India. The product of this bicultural painting workshop looks very different from both Persian and indigenous Indian painting, in part because the artists were looking at European art as well. This is a folio from the oversized manuscript known as the Qissa-i Amir Hamza, or Hamza-Nama, one of the most ambitious projects completed by the imperial painting workshop under the Mughal emperor Akbar (reigned 1556-1605). All of the paintings are on cloth, with Persian text written

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