Decorated Folio

Unknown

16th–17th century · Ink and gold on paper · Islamic Art

The golden designs on this unfinished page may have been created with a stencil or may be the freehand drawing of a gifted artist, who has depicted flowering blossoms and pomegranate trees alongside soaring birds and mythical creatures in combat. Pages like this originally framed paintings, drawings, or samples of calligraphy, which would have been included in an album. This part of the page illustrates how folios were comprised of layers of paper.

Artist

Unknown

Date

16th–17th century

Medium

Ink and gold on paper

Department

Islamic Art

Credit line

Gift of Dr. Marilyn Jenkins-Madina, in loving memory of her husband, Professor Maan Z. Madina, 2019