A Gathering of Mythical Creatures around a Lotus Leaf
dated Shawwal A.H. 1088/1677 CE
Medium
Watercolor and ink on paper
Dimensions
Folio: H. 15 1/2 in. (39.4 cm) W. 10 3/4 in. (27.3 cm) Drawing: H. 10 1/4 in. (26 cm) W. 6 3/4 in. (17.1 cm)
Classification
Codices
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of William and James Morton, in memory of their brother, Sandy Morton, Persian scholar and collector, 2016
Accession Number
2016.715
Art Historical Context
This delicate watercolor and ink drawing on paper, created by the Persian artist Mu’in Musvir and dated Shawwal A.H. 1088 (1677 CE), depicts a whimsical gathering of mythical creatures encircling a lotus leaf. Now part of the Metropolitan Museum Art’s Department of Islamic Art, the work belongs to the tradition of Persian codex illustration, where single-page drawings often served as independent album leaves or book illuminations. The compact dimensions—roughly 10¼ by 6 ¾ inches for the image itself—highlight the intimate scale typical of such pieces, inviting close viewing of fine linework an...