"Aquatic Birds at a Pool", Folio from the Davis Album

Unknown

late 17th or early 18th century · Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper · Islamic Art

This album page contains a highly naturalistic image of water birds surrounded by a floral border that incorporates the images of two figures that appear to be based on European sources. Of the four pages from this album with floral borders, two are inscribed with the name of 'Aliquli Jabbadar, one with the name of Muhammad Zaman, and this one is uninscribed. Although 'Ali Quli Jabbadar and Muhammad Zaman were contemporaries and worked in similar styles in the 1660s, 'Ali Quli's work contains striking images of birds which suggests that he may have painted this image. The figures in the border, which appears to be from the 18th century, may derive from European prints depicting the young John the Baptist and Mary Magdalene.

Artist

Unknown

Date

late 17th or early 18th century

Medium

Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper

Department

Islamic Art

Credit line

Theodore M. Davis Collection, Bequest of Theodore M. Davis, 1915