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Dragon in foliage with lion and phoenix heads
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A dragon lunges toward a pearl in the form of a seal inscribed with a verse from the Koran: “And I commit my case unto God” (40:44). In his front claw, the dragon grasps two flowering branches that magically produce a variety of blooms, including a lion that bites the dragon’s neck and a phoenix, who competes for the pearl.<br> <br>Sahkulu was trained by Persian artists, as were many artists of Mughal India during the 1500s. He joined the Ottoman imperial painting atelier in Istanbul in 1526 and became the head in 1545.
| Artist / Maker | Şahkulu |
|---|---|
| Date | mid-1500s |
| Culture / Origin | Ottoman Turkey, Istanbul |
| Medium | Ink, gum tempera, and gold on paper |
| Dimensions | Sheet: 17.3 x 40.2 cm (6 13/16 x 15 13/16 in.) |
| Department | Islamic Art |
| Type | Drawing |
About the Artist
Şahkulu (d. 1556) — Illumination (Tezhip).Persian-born master who joined the Ottoman palace atelier after 1514 and became its chief. Şahkulu developed the "saz style": long serrated saz leaves, composite hatayi blossoms, dragons, simurghs and peris drawn in a single sweeping ink line. His drawings fed the designs of İznik, textiles and bookbinding, and his student Kara Memi built the floral style upon his foundation.Works on Matchless Pieces[mp_gallery artist="Şahkulu" n="12"]Related works[mp_gallery s="Şahkulu" n="8"] Full biography →
Provenance & Source
Image & data: Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 / Public Domain.
Condition
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