Illumination in the Form of a Vase
Not on view
This decorative fantasy of a flowering vase may have formed the opening or end of a Bijapuri album of paintings and calligraphy. The shape of the vase is principally outlined by serrated-edged saz leaves, which are a hallmark of sixteenth and seventeenth-century Ottoman art, a tradition that must have been known to the anonymous illuminator. The surface has been enriched with color and gold that has been pricked and worked, creating an overall effect of opulence.
The fantastical form is typical of Deccani paintings, which often do not depict a known object or narrative, but instead delight in a whimsical and inventive combination of color and form.
This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.