Central Asia, Indo-Persia, ca. 18th century CE. A beautiful manuscript painting depicting a tranquil scene of 6 noblemen in a landscape holding birds with a river and rock formation in the mid-ground and a tree with a nesting bird in the background. Beneath them are 2 lines of Persian script, while sketches of lions hunting prey in a natural landscape are doodled in brown ink by a previous owner in the border. Miniature painting emerged in Persian art during the 13th century. Following the Mongol conquests, the genre displayed strong Chinese influence, and the tradition reached its peak during the 15th and 16th centuries. Persian miniature painting influenced other Islamic miniature traditions, including the Ottoman miniature created in Turkey as well as the Mughal miniature of India. Size of page: 6" W x 9.4" H (15.2 cm x 23.9 cm); of frame: 12.25" W x 15.5" H (31.1 cm x 39.4 cm)

Interestingly, Persian art - although under the influence of Islam - never completely forbade the inclusion of the human figure. Furthermore, the depiction of figures - oftentimes in groups - is a common practice in the miniature tradition. Scholars believe that this was because the miniature was used as a private form of visual culture. These images were usually kept in a book or an album and only shown to a select audience. For this reason, artists could be more free when creating miniatures than when creating wall paintings which were viewed by a wider audience. The Koran (Qur'an) and other religious texts were not illustrated in this way as a rule; however, other works of literature and histories at times included religious scenes.

Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection; ex-collection of Susan Gullia, acquired before 2022

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#184762

Set in modern glass frame with suspension wire on verso for display; has not been examined outside of glass. Some wrinkling and staining with browning to edges of page and small tear and a few chips to left periphery and corners. Nice remaining detail and colors. Brown ink drawing of animal and nature on bottom and right have been added and signed by a previous owner.