Kalila wa dimna: Limoges enamel plates in the image of the Persian miniatures of the Timurid period.

The scene is surmounted by three lines in "pseudo naskh". Two cartouches written in gilded cursive on enamel frame the miniature. The first, based on a text by Basil Gray, evokes the Ilkhanid and Chinese stylistic influences on the Mughal style by referring to a manuscript in the Morgan Library. The second modestly titles the scene: "the thief discovered in the bedroom", mentions the provenance and refers to a manuscript kept at the University Library, album of the Yildiz Palace, made in Tabriz around 1360-74.

France, 19th century or older

Size of frame: 38.5 x 32.5 cm



Provenance:

Former Ledeur collection.



An enamelled miniature from the Kalila wa Dimna, Limoges, France, 19th century. The slightly curved central panel with fine polychrome enamel work and painted details, set within a red velvet frame, with two smaller inscriptive panels.



This is an extremely rare example of the adaptation of Persian iconography to a European medium and bears witness to the influence of the fashion of the East around 1880, whose works of art became widespread, particularly thanks to the Universal Exhibitions. The miniature is faithfully copied from sheet 24a of Shah Tahmasp's album preserved in Istanbul (inv. No. F1422).