Miniature from a Nizami Manuscript depicting a King on a picnic with an animated group of courtiers in vivid costumes. The scene ia a rocky landscape with flowering shrubs and trees whose branches project into the side and top borders. Two small panels of inscription inset at top right and lower left.

A King Picnicking in the Mountains, c. 1560

Unknown artist, expand_more
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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.

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A King Picnicking in the Mountains (#255)
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.

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Miniature from a Nizami Manuscript depicting a King on a picnic with an animated group of courtiers in vivid costumes. The scene ia a rocky landscape with flowering shrubs and trees whose branches project into the side and top borders. Two small panels of inscription inset at top right and lower left.