Lot 98 AN ILLUSTRATED FOLIO FROM A PERSIAN EPIC, SA'DI KULLIYAT, SAFAVID, 18TH CENTURY
Gouache heightened with gold on paper, with text in Persian Nastaliq script in clouds reserved against a sprinkled gold ground, depicting a story from the first chapter of Kulliyat al-Sa'di (On the Conduct of Kings). Laid down on an album page, the margins are stylized with gilt blossoming lotus scrolls.
Text: 22 by 13.5 cm.
Page: 35.5 by 21.5 cm.
The text and the painting depicts a story about a tribe of Arab bandits had settled atop a mountain, blocking the caravan’s passage, and the subjects of the neighboring lands were terrified of their schemes. The Sultan’s army was defeated because the bandits had taken control of the mountain's summit, establishing their refuge and stronghold. The wise men of the surrounding regions consulted on how to deal with this threat, fearing that if the bandits continued their dominance, resistance would become impossible.