Persian Miniature Illustrations

Intricate Persian miniatures showcasing scenes from classic literature, featuring noble figures, wise advice, and romantic themes, with vibrant colors and detailed backgrounds.

A woman in front of a palace flees inside before the thunderstorm outside. The scene is framed by a brown border, trimmed with gold in black lines and a broad leaf edge speckled with gold., Madhu Madhavi ragini, draughtsman: anonymous, Bikaner, 1670 - 1690, paper, brush, brush, h 253 mm × w 186 mm, h 164 mm × w 97 mm

"A Ruffian Spares the Life of a Poor Man", Folio 4v from a Mantiq al-tair (Language of the Birds). Author: Farid al-Din `Attar (ca. 1142-1220). Dimensions: Painting: H. 7 3/4 in. (19.7 cm) W. 4 1/2 in. (11.4 cm)Page: H. 12 7/8 in. (32.7 cm) W. 8 5/16 in. (21.1 cm)Mat: H. 19 1/4 in. (48.9 cm) W. 14 1/4 in. (36.2 cm). Date: ca. 1600.This painting once formed part of a rare surviving illustrated copy of Farid al-Din 'Attar's mystical poem, the Mantiq al-tair (Language of the Birds). Originally commissioned in the late fifteenth century, the manuscript was left unfinished, completed over a century later during the reign of the Safavid ruler Shah 'Abbas I (r. 1587-1629). Four new paintings were added at that time, including this seventeenth century illustration for the story of a ruffian who spares the life of a poor man. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

A man on horseback makes a woman behind the window in a palace court, text in Persian in four columns at the top and bottom of the representation. The representation is framed by a wide discolored ivory leaf edge and lies to the right side of the leaf, Khusran and Shimi., draughtsman: anonymous, Persia, 1500 - 1600, voorstelling, :, brush, brush, h 258 mm × w 153 mm, h 185 mm × w 104 mm

Lovers on a Terrace: Ramakali Ragini of Hindol, from a Bundi Ragamala, c. 1610. Northwestern India, Rajasthan, Rajput Kingdom of Bundi. Gum tempera and gold on paper; page: 21.3 x 12.4 cm (8 3/8 x 4 7/8 in.). Sitting on a floral carpet outside a bedchamber, a noble dressed in Mughal apparel including Jahangir-period turban and decorated sash is trying to assuage his displeased consort. The lady turns her face away from the man, showing that his appeals have been ignored. The black sky indicates that their quarrel takes place in the middle of the night.

Reception of a Persian Ambassador by a Mughal Prince early 17th century. Reception of a Persian Ambassador by a Mughal Prince 452680

Love couple on a terrace, kneeling for an old wise man, anonymous, 1790 - 1810 Indian miniature. drawing On a terrace in front of a palace there is a love couple on a fur -colored rug, kneeling for an old wise man; Two columns text in Persian handwriting above and below and on the back. 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

The king of Zabul sees Mahrusa from his palace balcony, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Thirty-sixth 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: 8.8 x 10.2 cm (3 7/16 x 4 in.).

The handmaiden again pleads for the death of the prince, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Eighth Night, c. 1560. Lalu. Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper; overall: 20.3 x 14 cm (8 x 5 1/2 in.); painting only: 10.1 x 10.3 cm (4 x 4 1/16 in.).

Madhu Madhavi Ragini, Anonymous, 1670 - 1690 Indian miniature. drawing A woman in front of a palace flight in front of the thunderstorm outside. The show is framed by a brown edge, trimmed with gold in black framework lines and a wide leaf edge with gold. Bikaner paper brush / brush

On a terrace in front of a palace sits a love couple on a colorful robe, above them a floating head, on the right a servant, in the foreground half a figure of a praying old man, in two columns of text in Persian handwriting. The representation lies in the middle of the sheet and covers the width of two columns of text above and below the representation and also on the back of the sheet., Love couple on a terrace, draughtsman: anonymous, Kasjmir, 1790 - 1810, paper, brush, brush, h 184 mm × w 115 mm, h 145 mm × w 85 mm

A woman in front of a palace flees inside before the thunderstorm outside. The scene is framed by a brown border, trimmed with gold in black lines and a broad leaf edge speckled with gold., Madhu Madhavi ragini, draughtsman: anonymous, Bikaner, 1670 - 1690, paper, brush, brush, h 253 mm × w 186 mm, h 164 mm × w 97 mm

Left side of a double-page album folio: Outside a Royal Encampment (recto), c. 1485. Style of Bihzad (Iranian, active 1470-1506). Opaque watercolor and gold on paper; image: 24.4 x 14.1 cm (9 5/8 x 5 9/16 in.); overall: 27 x 17.2 cm (10 5/8 x 6 3/4 in.).

Jonge vrouw op een terras voor een paleispoort.On a terrace for a palace gate there is a young woman on a roll cushion, left for her is another young woman with a striped scarf around her head and shoulders who, with the help of her hands, explain something; Right behind, a servant awaits its coolness, on the multicolored carpet are scales and bottles; The presentation is equipped with two columns of text at the top and bottom, which continue on the back, arranged all around with frame lines. The performance has two columns text on top and bottom and on verso; All around frame lines, partly colored.

Shahnameh. The Book of Kings. 16th c. Sohrab facing the tent of the Persian army leaders. 16th c. Persian art. Safavid period. Miniature Painting. FRANCE. PICARDY. OISE. Chantilly. MusŽe CondŽ (CondŽ Museum).

"Zal Questions Sam's Intentions Regarding the House of Mihrab", Folio 81v from the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp. Artist: Painting attributed to 'Abd al-'Aziz (active first half 16th century). Author: Abu'l Qasim Firdausi (935-1020). Dimensions: Painting: H. 11 x W. 7 1/8 in. (H. 28 x W. 18.2 cm)Entire Page: H. 18 9/16 x W. 12 7/16 in. (H. 47.1 x W. 31.6 cm). Date: ca. 1525-30.As word spreads to Kabul that Sam will soon be waging war against Mihrab, Zal decides to fight to defend Rudaba and her father. He returns to meet with Sam, determined to win him over. After Zal reminds Sam of his broken promise, Sam hatches a plan. He will write a letter for Zal to deliver to Manuchihr. Seeing Zal in person will cause the shah to relent. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

God Ganesa (Ganapati) with elephant cane with his two serving dinners Siddhi and Buddhi seated under a bar. Draughtsman: anonymous. Dating: c. 1775 - c. 1823. Place: Kangra. Measurements: h 243 mm × w 325 mm; h 206 mm × w 286 mm. Museum: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

Jonge vrouw en oude man in een paleisruimte.In a room in a palace there is a young woman opposite an old manner with white beard that seems to give her advice, outside the window is a young man sleeping on the terrace. The presentation is on the top and bottom with text columns that go on the back, crossed on verso by a horizontal blue tire with white text.

Timur Khan by Anonymous / Private Collection / ca 1625 / Iran / Gouache on paper / Portrait / 43,7x30,7

"Suhrab Slain by Rustam", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi. Author: Abu'l Qasim Firdausi (935-1020). Dimensions: Page: 8 x 4 13/16in. (20.3 x 12.2cm)Painting: 2 5/8 x 3 1/8in. (6.7 x 8cm). Date: ca. 1610.The hero Rustam was unaware that he had a son, Suhrab, by Princess Tahmina. It came to pass that the two met in battle, fighting on opposing sides. They struggled in single combat until Rustam stabbed Suhrab fatally. Rustam realized that he had slain his own son when he saw Suhrab's arm bracelet, which he himself had given to Tahmina many years before. Tahmina had given it to Suhrab before the battle, hoping it would protect him. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Gorgin Leads Bishan Astray, Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings). India, Sub-Imperial Mughal, 1620-1623. Drawings; watercolors. Opaque watercolor, gold, and ink on paper

Miniature Painting, Court Scene Indian. Miniature Painting, Court Scene, late 16th century. Opaque watercolor on paper, sheet: 6 3/4 x 4 3/8 in. (17.1 x 11.1 cm). Asian Art late 16th century

The game of wolf-running in Tabriz, from an Akbar-nama (Book of Akbar), c. 1595-1600. Banavari 1 (Indian, active 1550s-1590s). Opaque watercolor and gold on paper; page: 35.2 x 23.8 cm (13 7/8 x 9 3/8 in.). After four years of traveling in exile, fleeing Afghan forces, Humayun reached Tabriz, the glittering capital of the Safavid dynasty in northwestern Iran, here imaginatively rendered by the Indian artist. There the second Mughal emperor enjoyed warm hospitality extended by the shah of Iran, who called for a game of wolf-running for which the city was famous. Artists painting during the time of Akbar, late in his reign when historical subjects dominated, speculated as to how the game was played, based on eyewitness accounts. They gave the figures lively emotive expressions and gestures, and the dense crowding successfully conveys the pandemonium of the scene.

The Parrot Addresses Khujasta at the Beginning of the Twenty-sixth 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: 11.4 x 10.3 cm (4 1/2 x 4 1/16 in.). When the sun, like a saffron-hued frog, plunged into the pond in the west and the moon, like a fish, came out of its snare in the east, Khujasta adorned with many kinds of jewels and bedecked with a variety of gold and silver ornaments went to Tuti to ask permission to leave.The parrots cage seems to hover in midair in the porch of a domed pavilion. The flowering treeentwining the cypress alludes to Khujastas desire to embrace her lover. As waterfowl course through the air, the parrot begins his story about the frog king Shapur.

Ascetic sitting before a monarch and his court. Draughtsman: anonymous. Dating: c. 1600. Measurements: h 202 mm × w 130 mm. Museum: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

The Parrot Addresses Khujasta at the Beginning of the Eighteenth 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: 7.9 x 10.2 cm (3 1/8 x 4 in.). When like a red-turbaned king the sun disappeared under the canopy in the west and like a silver-robed monarch the moon appeared on the throne in the east, Khujasta went to ask Tutis permission to leave.The parrot replied that his mistress Khujasta should devote herself to her obligations of propriety, just like the three extraordinary companions of the prince. Her interest piqued, Khujasta asked Tuti to tell her about them. He then launched into a story about the benefits of loyalty and generosity that lasted all night.

Prince in a pavilion that receives scales. Draughtsman: anonymous. Dating: 1790 - 1810. Place: Kashmir. Measurements: h 183 mm × w 106 mm; h 145 mm × w 85 mm. Museum: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

The merchant returns bringing a young slave who is really the son of the princess of Rum, now married to the king, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Fiftieth 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: 13.9 x 10.1 cm (5 1/2 x 4 in.). The princess of Rum watches anxiously from an upper window as her son is introduced to the enthroned king. In order to hide his identity, she has told her husband that the young man has expert knowledge of precious gemstones. The king, impressed with the slaves skill, welcomes him into his court.

The origin of music from a fabulous bird of India which had seven holes in its beak, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Fourteenth Night, c. 1560. Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556-1605). Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper; overall: 20.2 x 14 cm (7 15/16 x 5 1/2 in.); painting only: 10 x 10 cm (3 15/16 x 3 15/16 in.).

The princes ordeal continues, he is ordered away to be executed for the fifth time, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Eighth Night, c. 1560. Ghulam 'Ali (Indian, active 1550s-1590s). Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper; painting only: 16.4 x 11.1 cm (6 7/16 x 4 3/8 in.); overall: 20 x 14.4 cm (7 7/8 x 5 11/16 in.).

35mm original

Portrait of a nawab. Date: 1730-40. Origin: India. Period: Mughal dynasty. Color and gold on paper. Museum: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.

King Timur and Nazaben, draughtsman: anonymous, India, 1700 - 1899, paper, brush, h 288 mm × w 202 mm

Bahram Gur Visits the Princess of India in the Black Pavilion (recto): Illustration and Text, Persian Verses, from a manuscript of the Khamsa of Nizami, Haft Paykar Seven Portraits, c. 1400-1410. Iran, possibly Tabriz or Shiraz, Timurid Period, early 15th century. Opaque watercolor and ink on paper; image: 18.7 x 12.3 cm (7 3/8 x 4 13/16 in.); overall: 23.2 x 15.5 cm (9 1/8 x 6 1/8 in.).

Regally dressed person in a hilly landscape. Draughtsman: anonymous. Dating: 1500 - 1800. Place: Iran. Measurements: h 151 mm × w 85 mm; h 216 mm × w 130 mm. Museum: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

In front of a white palace, Radha sits on a yellow robe, her head bent forward on a raised knee while Krishna runs away from her left. Around the representation a dark blue (or black) border with flower and tendril motifs in white and gold, around it a wide pink with red speckled leaf edge and red frame lines, Krishna leaves Radha., draughtsman: anonymous, Kangra, 1800 - 1820, paper, brush, h 245 mm × w 191 mm, h 190 mm × w 135 mm

Desakh raginii, anonymous, 1700 - 1800 Indian miniature. drawing Against a lilac background, two pairs of wrestlers are busy in the foreground, their clothing stacked in a neat and colorful heap behind them, on the edge of the Lila field and against the light green meadow behind them four acrobats showing their skills, a servant on the left who drags a pillow; The edges of the fields are decorated with symmetrical flower pollen and there are a few trees on the horizon against a gray -blue sky; At the top a black inscription on a yellow background. The show is framed by a gold-colored piping and a wide orange-red edge with black and white framework lines. Jaipur paper brush / brush

The two cooks who try to seduce the warrior's faithful wife are trapped by her in a cellar, , 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, Fourth Night, circa 1560. Mughal India, court of Akbar (reigned 1556-1605), historical, digitally restored reproduction of a original from that time.

Meeting of Warriors, Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings). India, Sub-Imperial Mughal, 1620-1625. Drawings; watercolors. Opaque watercolor, gold, and ink on paper

A giant dressed only in a short skirt encounters two men who say they read his poetry, f. 307. 1540 - 1545. Qazwīnī, Zakarīyā ibn Muammad, approximately 1203-1283. text. Illuminations, Manuscripts, Miniatures (Illuminations). Spencer Collection. Mountains, Birds, Animals, Manuscripts, Persian

Sitting lady on terrace. Draughtsman: anonymous. Dating: 1790 - 1810. Place: Guler. Measurements: h 253 mm × w 193 mm; h 220 mm × w 146 mm. Museum: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

"Princess Entertaining a Visitor on the Balcony", Folio from the Davis Album mid-second half 17th century Mughal paintings from the seventeenth century depict the private life of the court, illustrating the quiet moments of emperors, queens, princes, and princesses in a manner very different from their formal portraits. This scene of a princess entertaining her visitor is filled with exquisite objects, including a carpet, ewers, a musical instrument, jewelry, and a fly whisk. The setting is the Kashmir valley, with distinctive fronds of land going into the lake and the distant snow clad peaks.. "Princess Entertaining a Visitor on the Balcony", Folio from the Davis Album 448480

Old Man Attended by Visitors 1545-1555 Bukhara. Opaque watercolor and gold on paper .

Nezami, Persian poet, recounting the story of Alexander the Great, 12th century (18th century). Artist: Unknown

Woman on a throne who addresses a man, behind him five servants, anonymous, 1500 - 1600 Shapur shows Khusrau's portrait to Shirin // illustration of the Khamsa of Nizami. A princess on a throne. A man holds a large piece of paper in front of her. (AK Title) Persia paper. deck paint. gouache (paint) brush Shapur shows Khusrau's portrait to Shirin // illustration of the Khamsa of Nizami. A princess on a throne. A man holds a large piece of paper in front of her. (AK Title) Persia paper. deck paint. gouache (paint) brush

Hunting with Falcons in a Landscape (recto), c. 1558-1560; borders added probably 1700s. Attributed to Abd al-Samad (Persian, c. 1510-1600). Opaque watercolor on paper (recto); page: 35.7 x 24.3 cm (14 1/16 x 9 9/16 in.). The Mughals hunted on horseback with falcons. The hunting party would ride out into the wild and flush the prey. Then, its hood removed, the falcon would chase the prey and bring it down. From childhood Akbar loved hunting, and this painting may be a rare depiction of Akbar as a youth at the lower left, with the black feather in his white turban. The falcon that has caught a duck has been hooded and is being passed between the young man and his bearded companion. This important work was painted by one of the Persian artists Akbars father brought to India from Iran. The inscription at the upper right gives the name of one of the other Persian artists, but it is probably an erroneous later addition.

India ca. 1650 Illuminated Manuscripts

Masnavi of Jalal al-Din Rumi dated A.H. 894/A.D. 1488-89 The frontispiece of this six book manuscript depicts a lively scene in which mounted hunters use swords, bows, and arrows to pursue their prey. Other paintings of receptions and feasts provide further insight into the courtly life of the Timurid period. An inscription in the colophon and on two other folios give the date of completion of this manuscript as 894 (A.D. 1488-89), although four of the 355 folios were added at a later date. The text by Jalal al-Din Rumi teaches moral philosophy and mysticism.. Masnavi of Jalal al-Din Rumi 446547

A rider on horseback and a beggar in a hilly landscape. The sheet is described on both sides, on recto in the middle in three blocks, on verso in two vertical columns, crossed at the top by a horizontal band within which a block of text and a block with floral motif on either side., Rider on horseback and a beggar, draughtsman: anonymous, Iran, 1500 - 1800, paper, brush, h 150 mm × w 83 mm, h 216 mm × w 125 mm

"Ilar (or Irakht) About to Throw the Bowl of Rice at the King", 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.

Krishna has destroyed the wagon demon. Draughtsman: anonymous. Dating: c. 1620. Place: Sirohi. Measurements: h 237 mm × w 270 mm; h 158 mm × w 191 mm. Museum: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

Interior of a Courtyard with Figures. Dimensions: Image 5 5/8 in x 8 1/4 inPage 7 1/8 in. x 8 3/8 inMat 14 1/14 in. x 19 1/4 in.. Date: early 17th century. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Princess Listening to Music. Date/Period: 1770/1785. Watercolor with gold and silver on paper. Width: 17.5 cm. Height: 22.9 cm (sheet). Author: Unknown Indian.

The Death of Darius. Date/Period: 1595 (Mughal). Illuminated manuscripts; folios (leaves). Ink and pigments on light brown paper with later outer margins in various colors ink and pigments on light brown paper with later outer margins in various colors. Height: 34 mm (1.33 in); Width: 21.50 mm (0.84 in). Author: Abd al-Rahim 'Ambarin Qalam-Scribe.

"Haji Husain Bukhari", Folio from the Shah Jahan Album recto: early 19th century; verso: later copy of 16th century original. "Haji Husain Bukhari", Folio from the Shah Jahan Album 451274

Todi Ragini, Second Wife of Hindola Raga, Folio from a Ragamala (Garland of Melodies). Fath Chand (India, active early-mid 18th century). India, Uttar Pradesh, Awadh, Lucknow, circa 1750-1760. Drawings; watercolors. Opaque watercolor and gold on paper

On a terrace under a dark blue sky in front of a white pavilion there are five women, one in the middle in front of the pavilion and two groups of two each on either side of her, three of the four women point to the middle with an uplifted right hand as if to make something clear to her. The representation is explained at the top and bottom by two columns of text continuing on the back, five women under a dark blue sky in front of a white pavilion., draughtsman: anonymous, Kasjmir, 1790 - 1810, paper, brush, brush, h 183 mm × w 103 mm, h 146 mm × w 85 mm

On a white terrace in front of an open pavilion sits a group of monarchs with flower branches in their hands in front and behind a frost in the middle sitting on a dark red carpet, in front of the middle frost there are bowls with flowers, in front of the terrace a pond with a fountain and flowerbeds on both sides. The representation is pasted, a frame around and a white decorative border with golden tendrils, around it a plain black border with white frame lines, this leaf is also pasted on a piece of beige cardboard on which red and black frame lines form a frame., Frosts with flower branches on a terrace, draughtsman: anonymous, Shorapur, 1790 - 1810, paper, brush, brush, h 396 mm × w 280 mm, h 251 mm × w 203 mm

Lalita Ragini Lalita Ragini, ca. 1750. Opaque watercolors, gold on paper, 11 5/16 x 7 1/4 in. (28.7 x 18.4 cm). Asian Art ca. 1750

Lady on rock. A lady is sitting on a pink rocking party in a hilly landscape; In the foreground a pond and in the background a house and trees against an air of a setting sun. The show is framed by two ornamental edges, a narrow green border with a motif with white three-leaf flowers and yellow frame binders and a wider red border with a decorative pattern of alternating standing and curved flowers in gray; The outer edge is worn and damaged here and there; A white frame line separates the two ornaments.

A woman asks her lover to leave her house, brandishing his sword and feigning rage in order to deceive her husband who has just arrived, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Eighth Night, c. 1560. Gujarati (Indian, active 1550s-1590s). Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper; overall: 20 x 14.3 cm (7 7/8 x 5 5/8 in.); painting only: 16.7 x 10 cm (6 9/16 x 3 15/16 in.).

Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. Dimensions: Overall: H. 8 3/4 in. (22.2 cm) W. 9 5/16 in. (23.7 cm)Image: H. 6 1/2 in. (16.5 cm) W. 7 1/8 in. (18.1 cm). Date: early 19th century.This illustrated folio was probably cut from its original illustrated manuscript as a line of text appears along the bottom edge of the leaf. The image depicts a group of female attendants, musicians, and dancers surrounding a crowned central female figure who kneels on a golden throne. A crowned male figure kneels at the lower left. One attendant on the queen's right holds a traditional axe-shaped fan, while the attendant on her left holds a fan in the shape of a sunburst, often a symbol of imperial power. All the female attendants and musicians wear a striped cap which allows us to date the painting to around 1800. The subject matter of the painting and the manuscript from which it comes cannot be identified. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

"Rustam Saved by his Horse Rakhsh from an Attacking Lion", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi. Author: Abu'l Qasim Firdausi (935-1020). Dimensions: Page: H. 12 in. (30.5 cm) W. 8 3/8 in. (21.3 cm)Image: H. 10 3/8 in. (26.4 cm) W. 6 7/8 in. (17.5 cm)Mat: H. 19 1/4 in. (48.9 cm)W. 14 1/4 in. (36.2 cm). Date: late 15th century. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Portrait of Maharajah Mokam Singh, draughtsman: anonymous, Kotah, c. 1731 - c. 1732, paper, brush, h 291 mm × w 213 mm

Young man, smoking a water pipe, sitting on a terrace. Draughtsman: anonymous. Dating: c. 1630. Measurements: h 314 mm × w 203 mm; h 235 mm × w 166 mm. Museum: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

Khusrau Gazing at Shirin, from a copy of the Khamsa of Nizami. Iran. Date: 1480-1490. Dimensions: 28.1 x 34.7 cm (11 1/16 x 13 1/4 in.); left page width: 17.4 cm (6 7/8 in.); right page width: 17.3 cm (6 13/16 in.). Opaque watercolor on paper. Origin: Iran. Museum: The Chicago Art Institute, Chicago, USA. Author: Islamic.

Indian Mughal miniature depicting a young woman arranging flowers, symbolising love re-united, in front of a pavilion. Rajasthan school; Album of Ragamala 19th century

Layla and Majnun. Date: 17th century. Origin: India. Period: Mughal dynasty. Color and gold on paper. Museum: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.

Shiva and Parvati. Draughtsman: anonymous. Dating: 1810. Place: Kangra. Measurements: h 246 mm × w 195 mm; h 214 mm × w 159 mm. Museum: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

Shahnameh. The Book of Kings. 16th c. Sohrab Looking at the White Tent of Feribourz. Gouache on paper. Persian art. Safavid period. Miniature Painting. FRANCE. PICARDY. OISE. Chantilly. MusŽe CondŽ (CondŽ Museum). Proc: IRAN.

Divan (Anthology) of Hafiz. Dimensions: H. 7 1/4 in. (18.4 cm)W. 4 1/4in. (10.8cm). Date: last quarter 18th century. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

A harnessed knight and his horse in battle with a fire-breathing blue dragon in a rocky landscape, four columns of text above and below the representation, at the bottom only two lines, a horizontal band over the middle two columns just above the representation, inside a greasier calligraphy. The image lies slightly from the middle to the right on the sheet showing water stains in the top left and bottom left., Rustam with dragon, draughtsman: anonymous, Persia, 1500 - 1600, paper, brush, h 319 mm × w 232 mm, h 204 mm × w 161 mm

Calligraphy of a ghazal of Amir Khusrau Dihlavi (Indian, 1253-1325) (verso), c. 1760. India, Farrukhabad, Mughal, 18th century. Ink, gum tempera, and gold on paper; overall: 25.4 x 19.7 cm (10 x 7 3/4 in.).

Prince with musicians, Anonymous, 1770 - 1790 Indian miniature. drawing There is a royal couple left on a golden taboeret on a white terrace; The man holds the snake of the hookah, the woman behind him a tampura, left behind the taboeret three servants; On the right before the taboeret a dancing woman with a group of women behind her, some of whom hold a musical instrument; Behind the terrace bushes and cypresses. The show lies in frameworks of black, red and white, a golden trim around the inner edge, the outer edge of the leaf is in sky blue with leaf vines, the vertical edges as wide as horizontal, around the painted edge in even more framework lines White, red and black, also filled in with a golden trim in the middle. Shorapur paper brush / brush

Nikfal, the fortune of the prince in the form of a woman, offers to accompany him, from a Tuti-nama (Tales of a Parrot): Eighteenth 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: 11.2 x 10.3 cm (4 7/16 x 4 1/16 in.).

Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi 17th century Shah Muhammad of Sabzavar. Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi 446546

Anonymous watercolor portrait of a woman, emphasizing facial features and attire.

Two Leaves of a History of Joseph Manuscript Two Leaves of a History of Joseph Manuscript, 17th century. Ink and gold on paper, 6 15/16 x 11 1/4 in. (17.6 x 28.6 cm). Arts of the Islamic World 17th century

Krishna en twee vrouwen in een tuin met bomen, apen en pauwen.In a nocturnal garden are two talking ladies on a dress lying on a white terrace; In the middle and left and right there are trees between which two monkeys swing back and forth and against the evening sky are two peacocks above the tree in the middle; To the middle tree Krishna arrived with a red staff in his hands. At the bottom and at the top of the show wide decorative tires, at the bottom of a band with white zigzag and shaded lines on black against a green background, at the top of a narrower green band with a single black-shaded edge and a zigzagrand that continues a piece along the night sky; completely above and at the bottom of a wide yellow strip deposited with black and red frame lines; The rest of the leaf edge once stained red, but pretty strikes. On the back of the leaf is at the top of a 5-line poem in calligraphy.

Portrait of a Prince Indian. Portrait of a Prince, ca. 1700-1710. Opaque watercolor on paper, sheet: 5 5/8 x 7 5/8 in. (14.3 x 19.4 cm). Asian Art ca. 1700-1710

Royal Women Feeding Fish 1735-1745 India. Opaque watercolor on paper .

Lalita Ragini, Page from a dispersed Ragamala Series Indian. Lalita Ragini, Page from a dispersed Ragamala Series, ca. 1640. Opaque watercolor on paper, sheet: 11 15/16 x 6 5/16 in. (30.3 x 16.0 cm). In the fifteenth or sixteenth century, a new genre of painting developed that attempted to capture in imagery the moods of famous passages of classical music. The music, known as ragas or raginis, inspired artists to create little scenarioshappy or sad, fierce or quiet, taking place in the daytime or nighttime, the summer or winterthat were illustrated over and over again. The rulers of Bundi and their cousins, the rulers of Kota, were particularly fond of these musical paintings, and they commissioned hundreds of them. This relatively early example from Bundi depicts the musical theme Lalita, in which a male lover leaves a passionate tryst early in the morning. He looks back fondly at the woman, and one senses that he would gladly have stayed for more. Asian Art ca. 1640

Manuchehr Kills Tur, Manuscript from Shahnama 1580-1590 Shiraz. Ink, opaque watercolor and gold on paper .

Page from an Astrological Treatise Indian. Page from an Astrological Treatise, ca. 1750. Opaque watercolor on paper, sheet: 7 3/4 x 4 1/2 in. (19.7 x 11.4 cm). This painting comes from a series that depicts the constellations in the form of figures walking through a landscape. We do not know which constellation is represented here, but it appears to be a composite creature made up of a woman, an elephant, and possibly some other animals. The landscape has been divided into bands, with a decorative foreground of poppies and lotuses, a plain midground, and miniature buildings in a hilly background offering a rudimentary sense of spatial depth. Asian Art ca. 1750

"The Four Knights of Kai Khusrau in the Mountains", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) dated A.H. 741/A.D. 1341 Abu'l Qasim Firdausi One of the stories of the Shahnama tells of the Shah Kai Khusrau, riding off into the mountains and disappearing in the snow. When his knights realize he is missing, they set off to find him. As they stop to rest, however, a snowstorm descends and they perish in their sleep. This painting depicts the four companions and their horses amid the mountain peaks, which appear as though in miniature.. "The Four Knights of Kai Khusrau in the Mountains", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) 449107

Maharana Sangram Singh Hunting Wild Boar. Culture: Western India, Rajasthan, Udaipur. Dimensions: 12 1/4 x 17 13/16 in. (31.1 x 45.2 cm). Date: ca. 1725.Riding a light gray stallion, the maharana of Mewar, Sangram Singh, appears in four scenes, giving an episodic feel to the events recorded. Three of the vignettes depict a royal boar hunt; in the fourth, the ruler rests with his courtiers, admiring the kill, as their horses and a pack camel wait patiently nearby. Hunting dogs pursue and bring down the prey, which have been wounded by lances and arrows. A temple and village appear on the upper horizon, a recurring motif seen in a number of Mewar school paintings of this period. The resulting composition is somewhat chaotic but conveys, one suspects, a sense of the reality of such occasions. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Painting with a representation of a prince from the Malla dynasty. Painting with a representation of a prince from the Malla dynasty. Princes from the Malla dynasty consider themselves as incarnations of the Hindu god Vishnu. That is why they let themselves portrayed with a throne sky consisting of ommercella hoses, as is also customary for Vishnu. The AVN de Malla Frost Bhupatendra (1695-1721) at the bottom of a scroll painting in the National Museum in New Delhi (see P. Pal, The Arts of Nepal Pt. II: Painting, Leiden, 1978, pp. 126-129, no. 151) Seems to be a reduced version of this painting. The portrait of this frost, painted on a wall in the Palace of Bhadgaon (idem, pl. 193) also seems very similar to the present painting. (Very damaged state).

The Arrival in France of Saint Francis of Paola 1495 France. This woodcut was recovered, with five other impressions, from use as endpapers in an account book. All six bear similar marginal damage, as the bookworms or other insects burrowed all the way through the volume. No other impressions of the print are known. This mismatch between the spiritual character of the prints and the worldly, business context in which they were found appears to be the result of simple reuse of scarce paper stocks, rather than an attempt to increase profits by calling on Saint Francis de Paul.. Woodcut in gray, hand-colored with brush, stencil and watercolor on ivory laid paper .

Textile, Altar Frontal ca. 1500 French or Italian. Textile, Altar Frontal 466594

"The Combat of Rustam and Ashkabus", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings). Author: Abu'l Qasim Firdausi (935-1020). Dimensions: Page: 8 x 5 3/16 in. (20.3 x 13.2 cm)Painting: 1 11/16 x 4 3/16 in. (4.3 x 10.7 cm). Date: ca. 1330-40.The arrogant enemy-hero Ashkabus scorns Rustam for facing him on foot, so Rustam ensures that Ashkabus will also be on foot by shooting his horse out from under him. The white cloud suggests the dust of battle. The warrior behind Rustam wears an aventail to protect his face and holds a shield of cane with a radiating pattern, both of which appear, similarly drawn, in other illustrations from this period and must therefore represent actual Ilkhanid armor. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Maharana Sangram Singh II Hunts Hares at Naramangra ca. 1720-30 Unidentified artist Artists were routinely required to accompany Indian rulers and nobility on royal hunts to record the event, a practice established at the Mughal court. Here the maharana of Mewar, Sangram Singh II (r. 1710-34), identified by a radiant golden nimbus, races in pursuit of his hunting dogs, which close in for the kill. Typical of Udaipur painting, water and foliage define the foreground, creating pictorial depth; hillocks are silhouetted against a high, distant horizon. The skillfully orchestrated color choices, from the horses and riders to the tunics worn by the footmen, further animate the composition.. Maharana Sangram Singh II Hunts Hares at Naramangra. Unidentified artist. Western India, Rajasthan, Udaipur. ca. 1720-30. Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper. Paintings

Composite Camel with Attendant. Dimensions: Painting: H. 7 7/8 in. (20 cm) W. 5 1/2 in. (14 cm)Page: H. 9 in. (22.9 cm) W. 6 11/16 in. (17 cm)Mat: H. 19 1/4 in. (48.9 cm) W. 14 1/4 in. (36.2 cm). Date: third quarter 16th century.While composite animals such as this one are known from earlier periods of Persian art, they gained in popularity toward the end of the sixteenth century. Here, comprising the overall shape of a camel, are found images of demons (divs), dervishes, embracing couples, rabbits, dragons, and even a Buddhist monk, sporting an earring and carrying a khakkhara (sounding) staff. The meaning of such images is open to interpretation, but many scholars believe them to have mystical significance--likely referring to the unity of all creatures within God. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

"Four Portraits: (upper left) A Raja (Perhaps Raja Sarang Rao), by Balchand; (upper right) 'Inayat Khan, by Daulat; (lower left) 'Abd al-Khaliq, probably by Balchand; (lower right) Jamal Khan Qaravul, by Murad", Folio from the Shah Jahan Album recto: ca. 1610-15; verso: dated 1541 Painting by Balachand These portraits were made for Jahangir (r. 1605-27), whose painters, while technically flawless, were able to reveal the nuances of characterization. 'Inayat Khan, a favorite courtier, is remembered today from two portraits made as he lay at deaths door, emaciated from his addiction to opium and wine, though here he appears healthy. 'Abd al-Khaliq met his death after siding with Shah Jahan against his father. Jamal Khan Qaravul was a minor nobleman, and the identification of the raja, in Jahangirs handwriting, is illegible.. "Four Portraits: (upper left) A Raja (Perhaps Raja Sarang Rao), by Balchand; (upper right) 'Inayat Khan, by Daulat; (lower left) 'Abd al-Khaliq, probably by Balcha

Dipaka (Light) Raga, Ragamala Album, School of Rajasthan, 19th century. On a lamp lit terrace she serenades her lover. Found in the collection of Jean Claude Carriere. The artist is unknown.

. On a white terrace with a gallery of the palace, a group of ladies, two on a rest bench, some keep a musical instrument in their hand; Behind the rest bench is a leaf with carafes, cups and glasses and behind it some scales with food; In the garden behind the terrace, dark trees can be seen, and cypresses and a few large palm leaves, a pond with hand basin and flower beds on either side. The performance is trimmed with a yellow and gold piping and frame limits, the edges of the leaf are orange-red painted and rather damaged.

Water Horse, 'Ali, Muzaffar, 1530

Furûhil and Zangûlah fight.. 1616. Firdawsî. text. illuminated manuscripts, Illuminations, Manuscripts. Spencer Collection. Manuscripts, Persian

Todi Ragini, Second Wife of Hindol Raga, Folio from a Ragamala (Garland of Melodies). India, Rajasthan, Raghugarh, circa 1775-1800. Drawings; watercolors. Opaque watercolor and gold on paper

"Rustam is Thrown into the Sea by the Div Akvan", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi ca. 1330-40 Abu'l Qasim Firdausi The illustration of Rustam's encounter with the div Akvan, showing the hero in the water defending himself against a sea monster in the form of a lion while the evil div looks on from the shore, is as unique as it is charming. The established iconography usually pictures Rustam asleep on a piece of sod held aloft by the div, who offers him the choice to be thrown to death onto the rocky mountains or into the sea. Rustam, knowing that the div will do the opposite, chose the mountains and thus survives the perils of the sea.. "Rustam is Thrown into the Sea by the Div Akvan", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi 452642

The parrot addresses Khujasta at the beginning of the thirty-sixth 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 10.2 cm (3 5/8 x 4 in.).

Ornament, Block-printed on handmade paper, Vertical rectangle. Girl and boy on grassy slope, with tree, bush and fence. Large dragon fly in sky. Border brilliant in color, with simulation of carved moldings: leaf molding and large baguette entwined with foliage, beading and foliated ribbon. Printed in colors on blue ground, gray field to border., Paris , France, 1785-89, Wallcoverings, Ornament

Two talking man by Govardhan, watercolour, ink, gold colour on paper, 1645, USA, Washington, D.C., Freer Gallery of Art, 25, 4x34

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