Drawing pasted on an album leaf with calligraphy. ‘Two Wild Boars’
Iran, Herat or Tabriz; 2nd half of 15th century
Drawing: 6.6 × 10.8 cm
Inventory number 20/1992
The library of the Topkapi Palace has a pair of albums with drawings, miniatures, and calligraphy that were probably collected for the Turkmen sultan Yaqub Aq Qoyunlu (1478-1490). They include a number of quite unusual drawings and almost monochrome paintings of demons, wild animals, nomads, and their domesticated animals. They have been ascribed to an artist called Siyar Qalam (Black Pen), whose name can be found on several of the works of art.
The museum’s two wild boars appear in a larger drawing in one of the two albums. It is unknown whether the David Collection’s drawing is a replica or a contemporary copy, but the quality is on the same high level as the Sultan Yaqub drawings.
The museum’s two wild boars appear in a larger drawing in one of the two albums. It is unknown whether the David Collection’s drawing is a replica or a contemporary copy, but the quality is on the same high level as the Sultan Yaqub drawings.
Published in
Published in
Sotheby’s, London, 30/4-1992, lot 306;
Kjeld von Folsach: Art from the World of Islam in The David Collection, Copenhagen 2001, cat.no. 51;
Sheila S. Blair and Jonathan M. Bloom (eds.): Cosmophilia. Islamic Art from the David Collection, Copenhagen, McMullen Museum of Art, Boston College, Boston 2006, cat.no. 120;
Kjeld von Folsach: For the Privileged Few: Islamic Miniature Painting from The David Collection, Louisiana, Humlebæk 2007, cat.no. 28;
Kjeld von Folsach: Art from the World of Islam in The David Collection, Copenhagen 2001, cat.no. 51;
Sheila S. Blair and Jonathan M. Bloom (eds.): Cosmophilia. Islamic Art from the David Collection, Copenhagen, McMullen Museum of Art, Boston College, Boston 2006, cat.no. 120;
Kjeld von Folsach: For the Privileged Few: Islamic Miniature Painting from The David Collection, Louisiana, Humlebæk 2007, cat.no. 28;
Miniature Paintings
Miniature from a copy of Firdawsi’s Shahnama. ‘Rakhsh Kills an Attacking Lion While Rustam Sleeps’
Miniature from a copy of Nizami’s Khamsa. ‘Iskander Watching the Sirens’
Miniature from a copy of al-Sarai’s Nahj al-Faradis (The Paths of Paradise)
Miniature from a copy of al-Sarai’s Nahj al-Faradis (The Paths of Paradise)