"The Anecdote of the Man Who Fell into the Water", Folio 44r from a Mantiq al-Tayr (Language of the Birds)

Art Historical Context

This exquisite folio, titled *"The Anecdote of the Man Fell into the Water"*Folio 44r), comes a lavish 15th-century manuscript of Farid al-Din `Attar's *Mantiq al-Tayr* (Language of Birds), a cornerstone of Persian Sufi literature. Dated 1487 CE (A.H. 892), the poem allegorically follows birds on a spiritual quest for enlightenment, weaving moral tales like this one—likely depicting men and donkeys in a humorous or cautionary mishap involving water. Created under the patronage of Timurid rulers in Herat, it reflects the era's golden age of Islamic book arts, blending poetry, calligraphy by Sultan 'Ali al-Mashhadi, and vivid illustration. Rendered in opaque watercolor, silver, and gold on paper, the painting exemplifies Persian miniature techniques: intricate details, flattened perspective, and luminous metallic pigments that evoke otherworldly depth on a modest scale (painting 7 3/8 x 5 1/8 in.). These codices were treasures for scholar-princes, symbolizing devotion and refined taste. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Islamic Art Department (Fletcher Fund, 1963), it invites visitors to ponder timeless Sufi wisdom: even a tumble into water can teach humility on the path to divine truth.