Arts of the Islamic World & India including Fine Rugs and Carpets
Arts of the Islamic World & India including Fine Rugs and Carpets
Folios from an 'Aja'ib al-Makhluqat, an illustration of four angels supporting the throne of heaven (hamlat al-'arsh), Persia, Timurid, 15th century
Auction Closed
October 26, 12:30 PM GMT
Estimate
6,000 - 8,000 GBP
Lot Details
Description
gouache heightened with gold on paper, 3 leaves with 17 lines of naskh script in black ink with keywords in red on buff paper, margins ruled in black and gold
22 by 14.5cm.
Sold in these rooms, 12 October 2000, lot 59.
The illustration depicts the angels holding God's throne, they have the faces of man, lion, bull and eagle, known in Christianity as the four evangelists: Matthew (man), Mark (lion) Luke (bull) and John (eagle).
The form of these angels corresponds to the writings of the thirteenth century Persian author Al-Qazwini, whose first volume of the Ajaib al-Makhluqat 'Wonders of Creation' discusses the inhabitants of the heavens.