"The Seven Sleepers of Ephesus", Folio from a Falnama (Book of Omens)

Unknown

1550s · Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper · Islamic Art

This exceptionally large folio depicts seven Christian men, known as the Seven Sleepers and their dog Qitmir, who escaped persecution by miraculously sleeping in a cave for 309 years. The contrasts between the dark cave and the colorful rocks, the commotion outside and the peaceful sleepers inside reinforce the narrative. The crowned figure on a white horse, most likely the Roman emperor Decius (ruled 249-51 AD) who persecuted the men, is led by Satan, portrayed here with dark skin, a white beard and a serpent emerging from his neck. The picture would have faced a text page that contains a positive augury.

Artist

Unknown

Date

1550s

Medium

Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper

Department

Islamic Art

Credit line

Rogers Fund, 1935