A King Picnicking in the Mountains, c. 1560
Unknown artist, Iranexpand_more
Ink, colors, and gold on paperexpand_more
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. C. C. Webberexpand_more 43.31.2
Not on Viewexpand_more
This lavish work depicting a king and his courtiers picnicking in a mountain glade is a definitive example of Safavid manuscript painting from the late 1500s. The painting illustrates a scene from the Khamsa, or Five Poems, by Nizami (c. 1140–1203), one of the greatest poets in Persian literature. The exquisite marginal drawings of animals in the midst of lush gold foliage, the finely detailed and lyrically dynamic composition, and the decorative use of color define Safavid court aesthetics. Since Safavid court artists occasionally worked for the Mughal rulers in South Asia, this style of painting influenced Islamic court painting in that region too. For example, the Mughal painting Majnun in the Wilderness (c. 1600), which appears on page XX, displays mountain forms similar to these.
Details
- Title
- A King Picnicking in the Mountains
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 43.31.2
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know
Zoom in on the left to the detail you'd like to save. Click 'Save detail' and wait until the image updates. Right click the image to 'save image as' or copy link, or click the image to open in a new tab.