Folio from a Kalila wa-dimna; recto: text, The story of magpies and owls; verso: The battle between the magpies and the owls

Detached folio from a dispersed copy of Kalila wa dimna; text: Persian in black nasta’liq script; recto: text: The story of magpies and owls, heading in gold, one column, 14 lines; verso: illustration and text: The battle between the magpies and the owls.
Border: The text and the painting are set in gold and black rulings on cream-colored paper.

Historical period(s)
Timurid period, mid-15th century
Medium
Opaque watercolor and ink on paper
Dimensions
H x W: 22.9 x 14.6 cm (9 x 5 3/4 in)
Geography
Iran
Credit Line
Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art
Accession Number
F1954.23
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Manuscript
Type

Manuscript folio

Keywords
bird, fable, Iran, Kalila wa-Dimna, magpie, owl, Timurid period (1378 - 1506)
Provenance
Provenance research underway.
Description

Detached folio from a dispersed copy of Kalila wa dimna; text: Persian in black nasta’liq script; recto: text: The story of magpies and owls, heading in gold, one column, 14 lines; verso: illustration and text: The battle between the magpies and the owls.
Border: The text and the painting are set in gold and black rulings on cream-colored paper.

Published References
  • Jashn-e-Khusrau 2013: Celebrating the Genius of Khusrau. Ahmedabad, India, 2014. p. 74.
  • Ernst Grube. Prolegomena for a Corpus Publication of Illustrated Kalilah wa Dimnah Manuscripts. vol. 4. cat. 23, pp. 362,385, 415.
Collection Area(s)
Arts of the Islamic World
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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