Miniature from a copy of Bidpai’s Kalila wa Dimna. ‘The Fox and the Drum’
Iran, Shiraz; 1333
Leaf: 32.5 × 20.2 cm
Inventory number 15/2006
A number of manuscripts were made under the Injuids in Shiraz that were clearly influenced by Il-Khanid painting, but also had their own style, with characteristic earth colors and e.g. trees with large flowers. The Indian animal fables told in Kalila wa Dimna should be considered a ‘mirror for princes,’ didactic stories intended to teach young nobles to rule wisely.
We see a fox that has greedily pulled a drum down from a tree, and in doing so driven the birds away that were its actual prey. The fox has just discovered that the drum cannot be eaten, even though it is big and noisy.
We see a fox that has greedily pulled a drum down from a tree, and in doing so driven the birds away that were its actual prey. The fox has just discovered that the drum cannot be eaten, even though it is big and noisy.
Published in
Published in
Ernst J. Grube: Muslim miniature paintings from the XIII to XIX century from collections in the United States and Canada, catalogue of the exhibition, Istituto Venezia e l'Oriente, Venezia 1962, cat.no. 29;
Kjeld von Folsach: For the Privileged Few: Islamic Miniature Painting from The David Collection, Louisiana, Humlebæk 2007, cat.no. 11;
Kjeld von Folsach: For the Privileged Few: Islamic Miniature Painting from The David Collection, Louisiana, Humlebæk 2007, cat.no. 11;
The Il-Khanids and the Golden Horde
Miniature from a copy of Firdawsi’s Shahnama made for Qiwamuddawla wa’l-Din Hasan. ‘Iskandar Contemplates the Peoples Gog and Magog’
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