Four Captive Demons
This exceptional painting on silk portrays four demonlike figures rendered in exacting, fantastic detail. A series of similar paintings have been preserved within albums in Istanbul's Topkapi Palace Library. Some of these display inscriptions, attributing the works to an artist called "Muhammad Siyah Qalam." While much of the material found in these albums may be attributable to late fifteenth-century Iran, the use of silk as a support for painting was rare in the region, suggesting these enigmatic paintings were produced elsewhere.
Artwork Details
- Title: Four Captive Demons
- Date: 1470–1500
- Geography: Attributed to Iran or Central Asia
- Medium: Watercolor and gold on silk
- Dimensions: Painting: H. 13 3/8 in. (34 cm)
W. 7 15/16 in. (20.2 cm)
Frame: H. 21 3/4 in. (54.6 cm)
W. 16 3/4 in. (42.5 cm) - Classification: Codices
- Credit Line: Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1968
- Object Number: 68.175
- Curatorial Department: Islamic Art
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