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A Stallion

Painting by Habiballah of Sava Iranian
ca. 1601–6
Not on view
Studies such as this superb example of a richly caparisoned royal horse of Arabian stock, with a small head and an elegant swan's neck, abound in fifteenth-, sixteenth-, and seventeenth-century Iranian, Turkish, and Indian paintings and drawings. Many of these works of art either emphasize a prince's dashing horsemanship as an allegory of his royal power and ruling intellect or depict him dismounting in order to show proper humility before a holy man. In this painting, there is no denying the sheer delight of the artist—and no doubt of his royal patron—in dwelling on the beauty of the steed. Habib Allah demonstrates his virtuosity by adorning the saddlecloth with calligraphic, fantastically elongated, serrated leaves interspersed with blossoms, a popular drawing style in sixteenth-century Turkey and Iran known by the Persian word saz, or "fashioning."

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: A Stallion
  • Artist: Painting by Habiballah of Sava (Iranian, active ca. 1590–1610)
  • Date: ca. 1601–6
  • Geography: Attributed to present-day Afghanistan, Herat
  • Medium: Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper
  • Dimensions: Painting:
    H. 11 7/8 in. (30.1 cm)
    W. 8 in. (20.3 cm)
    Page:
    H. 7 3/4 in. (19.7 cm)
    W. 5 in. (12.7 cm)
  • Classification: Codices
  • Credit Line: Purchase, Louis E. and Theresa S. Seley Purchase Fund for Islamic Art, The Edward Joseph Gallagher III Memorial Collection, Edward J. Gallagher Jr. Bequest, and Richard S. Perkins and Margaret Mushekian Gifts, 1992
  • Object Number: 1992.51
  • Curatorial Department: Islamic Art

More Artwork

More Artwork
"The Concourse of the Birds", Folio 11r from a Mantiq al-Tayr (Language of the Birds), Habiballah of Sava Iranian, Ink, opaque watercolor, gold, and silver on paper
"The Concourse of the Birds", Folio 11r from a Mantiq al-Tayr (Language of the Birds)
Painting by Habiballah of Sava
Author Farid al-Din `Attar
ca. 1600
Portrait of a Lady Holding a Flower, Muhammadi of Herat Iranian, Opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on paper
Portrait of a Lady Holding a Flower
Painted by Muhammadi of Herat
1565–75
"Shah Jahan on a Terrace, Holding a Pendant Set With His Portrait", Folio from the Shah Jahan Album, Chitarman Indian, Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper
"Shah Jahan on a Terrace, Holding a Pendant Set With His Portrait", Folio from the Shah Jahan Album
Painted by Chitarman
recto: dated 1627–28; verso: ca. 1530–50
Carpet, Wool (warp, weft and pile); asymmetrically knotted pile
Carpet
17th century
"Akbar With Lion and Calf", Folio from the Shah Jahan Album, Govardhan, Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper
"Akbar With Lion and Calf", Folio from the Shah Jahan Album
Painting by Govardhan
Calligrapher Mir 'Ali Haravi
verso: ca. 1630; recto: ca. 1530–50

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