Portrait of Mandione Laye and his Phaeton
Both the image of the bird and the Arabic inscription on this suwer (or souwere, Wolof for reverse glass painting) reveal it as a portrait of Seydina Mandione Laye, caliph of the Layeniyya Sufi brotherhood in 1949–1971. Seemingly inspired by a photograph, this suwer is one of the earliest known depicting this spiritual leader with the bird that is associated with his spiritual election since 1950, when it wondrously sat on his shoulder during prayer. Evoking a topical moment in the history of the Layeniyya, a community that is particularly attentive to supernatural events, the image of the Phaeton has since become a symbol of this brotherhood.
Artwork Details
- Title: Portrait of Mandione Laye and his Phaeton
- Date: 1950s–1960s
- Geography: Made in Senegal
- Medium: Paint on glass
- Dimensions: H. 11 5/8 in. (29.5 cm)
W. 9 1/4 in. (23.5 cm) - Classification: Paintings
- Credit Line: Purchase, Friends of Islamic Art Gifts, 2025
- Object Number: 2025.482
- Curatorial Department: Islamic Art
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1940s–1960s
1940s–1960s
1960s–1980s
possibly 1940s–1960s
possibly 1950s–60s
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