"Bahram Gur Sees a Herd of Deer Mesmerized by Dilaram' s Music", Folio from a Khamsa (Quintet) of Amir Khusrau Dihlavi
Approximately one century after the Persian poet Nizami wrote his Khamsa (Quintet), the Indian poet Amir Khusrau Dihlavi composed a response using Nizami’s structure but varying his stories slightly. This painting comes from the Mughal emperor Akbar’s (r. 1556–1605) personal copy of Amir Khusrau’s verses. It shows the king Bahram Gur with his beautiful slave girl, Dilaram, who could make animals sleep or awaken with the sound of her music.
Artwork Details
- Title: "Bahram Gur Sees a Herd of Deer Mesmerized by Dilaram' s Music", Folio from a Khamsa (Quintet) of Amir Khusrau Dihlavi
- Author: Amir Khusrau Dihlavi (Indian, Patiyali, 1253–1325 Delhi)
- Artist: Attributed to Miskin (active ca. 1570–1604)
- Date: 1597–98
- Geography: Attributed to India
- Medium: Main support: ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paperMargins: gold on dyed paper
- Dimensions: H. 9 5/8 in. (24.5 cm)
W. 5 15/16 in. (15.1 cm) - Classification: Codices
- Credit Line: Gift of Alexander Smith Cochran, 1913
- Object Number: 13.228.28
- Curatorial Department: Islamic Art
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