"Funeral Procession", Folio 35r from a Mantiq al-Tayr (Language of the Birds)

Farid al-Din `Attar|Sultan 'Ali al-Mashhadi

dated A.H. 892/ 1487 CE · Opaque watercolor, silver, and gold on paper · Islamic Art

This illustration is associated with a story related by the hoopoe as a response to a bird who complains about his fear of death. In the story, a son grieves the death of his father in front of his coffin and a sufi soothes him, explaining that his father had experienced much pain and that no one can avoid death. Here, the painter depicts the incident as occurring in front of a cemetery gate. The scene behind the gate is replete with motifs that are irrelevant to the story itself. The viewer at the court may have enjoyed deciphering them.

Artist

Farid al-Din `Attar|Sultan 'Ali al-Mashhadi

Date

dated A.H. 892/ 1487 CE

Medium

Opaque watercolor, silver, and gold on paper

Department

Islamic Art

Credit line

Fletcher Fund, 1963