CMA: Islamic Art

Sharing public domain works from the Islamic Art department of the Cleveland Museum of Art

[slam-african]

Head from a Figure, Maya, c.600–909, Saint Louis Art Museum: Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas

https://www.slam.org/collection/objects/9409/

[cma-islamic-art]

The Story of Hushang, from a Majma al-tavarikh (A Compendium of Histories) of Hafiz-i Abru, 1425 - 1450, Cleveland Museum of Art: Islamic Art

These two pages are from a manuscript that evidently was written and illustrated for the library (at Herat) of the Timurid king Shah Rukh, the son of Timur (Tamerlane). The Majma' al-Tawarikh traced the history of the world, beginning with the prophets of the Old Testament until the reign of Shah Rukh. Size: Image: 11 x 25.7 cm (4 5/16 x 10 1/8 in.); Overall: 42 x 32 cm (16 9/16 x 12 5/8 in.); Text area: 22.6 x 22.8 cm (8 7/8 x 9 in.) Medium: opaque watercolor and ink on paper

https://clevelandart.org/art/1931.452.a

[slam-asian]

Afterimage (Zanzō), Ide Teruko, 1990, Saint Louis Art Museum: Asian Art

https://www.slam.org/collection/objects/18334/

[cma-islamic-art]

Youth Seated by a Willow; Single Page Illustration, Muhammad Yusuf, c. 1600-1650, Cleveland Museum of Art: Islamic Art

Single polychrome paintings of elegantly clad youth were produced in considerable number during the 1600s, primarily for people with means who collected them and had them mounted in albums. Instead of functioning as portraits, the images of these courtly figures express ideals of youth and beauty. This young man’s lavish sash and turban enriched with costly gold thread proclaim his high status. Size: Sheet: 33.5 x 21.9 cm (13 3/16 x 8 5/8 in.); Image: 15 x 9.6 cm (5 7/8 x 3 3/4 in.) Medium: ink, gold, and colors on paper

https://clevelandart.org/art/1947.499

[cma-islamic-art]

On the Benefits of Quails (verso) from a Manafi' al-Hayawan (On the Usefulness of Animals) of Ibn Bakhtishu' (d. 1058), c. 1300, Cleveland Museum of Art: Islamic Art

The Benefits of Animals describes the physical characteristics of many different animals and provides their medicinal uses at the time. Most of the text on this page is a continuation of a section about doves from the previous page. It says, for example, that blood from dove wings cures sore eyes and cooked dove egg mixed with honey and a little borax is good for those with liver complaints. The large title written in Kufic script near the bottom of the page translates as “The Quail and its Qualities and Benefits,” marking the beginning of the next section. The illustration depicts two quails in active postures. The Mongol ruler of Iran from 1295 to 1304, Ghazan Khan, commissioned a Persian translation of the Arabic text, and this important page is from one of the earliest illustrated manuscripts. Size: Image: 10.7 x 6 cm (4 3/16 x 2 3/8 in.); Overall: 24.7 x 18.2 cm (9 3/4 x 7 3/16 in.); Text area: 22.5 x 16.5 cm (8 7/8 x 6 1/2 in.) Medium: opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on paper

https://clevelandart.org/art/1945.382.b

[cma-islamic-art]

Rustam meets the challenge of Ashkabus, from a Shah-nama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi (Persian, about 934–1020), c. 1590-1600, Cleveland Museum of Art: Islamic Art

Iran was losing a battle against Turan and the armies of its assembled allies from India and China. The hero Rustam arrived to pull the Iranian army back from the brink of destruction, slaying the enemy warrior Ashkabus on foot while allowing his horse Rakhsh to rest after a long, hard journey. The vast number of armies involved in the battle is indicated by the many banners that extend beyond the illustration’s top border. This painting was probably produced at Shiraz, one of Iran’s major cultural centers, far to the south of the Safavid capital of Tabriz. Artists and works of art moved back and forth steadily between Shiraz and the Deccan in southwestern India during the 1500s and 1600s. Size: Overall: 31 x 20.1 cm (12 3/16 x 7 15/16 in.); Text area: 25.4 x 15.7 cm (10 x 6 3/16 in.) Medium: opaque watercolor and gold on paper

https://clevelandart.org/art/1960.199.b

[cma-islamic-art]

Wall Tile, 17th Century, Cleveland Museum of Art: Islamic Art

Size: Overall: 32.3 x 32.3 x 2.8 cm (12 11/16 x 12 11/16 x 1 1/8 in.) Medium: faience, cuerda seca technique

https://clevelandart.org/art/1915.650

[cma-islamic-art]

Flask, 9th-10th Century, or later, Cleveland Museum of Art: Islamic Art

Size: Overall: 10.8 x 8.3 x 1.8 cm (4 1/4 x 3 1/4 x 11/16 in.); Diameter of foot: 3 cm (1 3/16 in.) Medium: glass

https://clevelandart.org/art/1915.552

[cma-islamic-art]

Bahram Gur meets Arzu, the Daughter of Mahiyar (verso); Illustration and Text, Persian Verses, from the Shahnama of Firdawsi, c. 1350, Cleveland Museum of Art: Islamic Art

Size: Image: 5.4 x 15.3 cm (2 1/8 x 6 in.); Overall: 29 x 20.7 cm (11 7/16 x 8 1/8 in.) Medium: opaque watercolor and ink on paper

https://clevelandart.org/art/1945.387.b

[cma-islamic-art]

The Story of Nushirwan and his Minister. "The Third Discourse on Diverse Events and Disorder in Life.": Illustration from a Manuscript of the Khamsa (Quintet) by Nizami, 1555-1565, Cleveland Museum of Art: Islamic Art

This scene is from the Makhzan al-Ashrar, the first of the Quintet. Although more historically oriented than the following poems, it served more as a vehicle for moralizing tales than for historical events. In this scene Nushirwan asks the sage Buzurgmihr to explain what the owls perched on a ruined building are saying. He explains that one owl is offering the other as many ruined cities as he likes in exchange for his daughter's hand. He thus reproves Nushirwan for his love of conquest and war and the consequent destruction of many cities. Size: Sheet: 32.7 x 21.8 cm (12 7/8 x 8 9/16 in.); Text area: 20.3 x 12.7 cm (8 x 5 in.) Medium: ink and gold on paper

https://clevelandart.org/art/1944.487.b

[slam-islamic]

Dagger, Indian, 18th century, Saint Louis Art Museum: Islamic Art

https://www.slam.org/collection/objects/17434/

[cma-islamic-art]

Salver, 1100s, Cleveland Museum of Art: Islamic Art

Size: Diameter: 58 cm (22 13/16 in.) Medium: brass

https://clevelandart.org/art/1980.179

[cma-european-art]

Saint Paul the Hermit, Mattia Preti, c. 1662-1664, Cleveland Museum of Art: European Painting and Sculpture

After training in Rome in the 1630s and 1640s, Preti went to Naples where he continued working in a mode inspired by the work of Caravaggio. In this painting, dramatic lighting and intense naturalism depict the intersection of the heavenly and earthly realms. According to Catholic tradition, Saint Paul the Hermit fled into the desert to escape persecution from the Romans in the third century, and is revered as the first of many hermit saints. A raven brought Saint Paul a half a loaf of bread daily, which enabled him to survive to the age of 113 years. Preti depicted the saint looking heavenward in appreciation and awe of his heavenly provider. The hermit saint is clothed only in a rough woven cloth, intended to increase the saint’s suffering and thus draw him closer spiritually to Christ. Size: Framed: 121 x 94 x 8 cm (47 5/8 x 37 x 3 1/8 in.); Unframed: 103 x 76.2 cm (40 9/16 x 30 in.) Medium: oil on canvas

https://clevelandart.org/art/1969.109

[cma-islamic-art]

Page from a Shah-nama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi (Persian, about 934–1020), c. 1590-1600, Cleveland Museum of Art: Islamic Art

This section of the Shah-nama is famous for the clever conversational repartee between Rustam and his opponent Ashkabus. When Ashkabus remarked that in choosing not to ride a horse Rustam had signed his own death warrant, Rustam retorted, “Would it be the case then that in your country . . . lions, tigers, and crocodiles [all] ride on horses to battle?” Rustam then brought down the horse of Ashkabus with a single arrow; his next arrow pierced Ashkabus in the chest. Size: Image: 25.4 x 15.7 cm (10 x 6 3/16 in.); Overall: 31 x 20.1 cm (12 3/16 x 7 15/16 in.); Text area: 21 x 13.5 cm (8 1/4 x 5 5/16 in.) Medium: Opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on paper

https://clevelandart.org/art/1960.199.a

[slam-islamic]

Footed Bowl (tazza), Ottoman period, 1281–1924, c.1570–90, Saint Louis Art Museum: Islamic Art

https://www.slam.org/collection/objects/43083/

[cma-islamic-art]

Feline incense burner, 1100s, Cleveland Museum of Art: Islamic Art

The head of this lion could be removed to fill its body with hot coals and incense; the pierced walls enabled the scented smoke to disperse. Inscriptions around the lion's neck and along his spine are from the Koran (62:9-10) and read in part: "O believers, when proclamation is made for prayer on the Day of Congregation, hasten to God's remembrance and leave trafficking aside . . . then, when the prayer is finished, disperse through the land and seek God's bounty, and remember God frequently that you may prosper." Size: Overall: 35.5 x 11 x 32.5 cm (14 x 4 5/16 x 12 13/16 in.); Head: 17.8 x 9.5 x 12.5 cm (7 x 3 3/4 x 4 15/16 in.) Medium: copper alloy, cast and chased

https://clevelandart.org/art/1948.308

[cma-islamic-art]

Qur'an Manuscript Folio (recto), 1200s-1300s, Cleveland Museum of Art: Islamic Art

Size: Sheet: 52.7 x 55.4 cm (20 3/4 x 21 13/16 in.); Text area: 46.5 x 44 cm (18 5/16 x 17 5/16 in.) Medium: ink, gold, and color on parchment

https://clevelandart.org/art/1933.440.a