A floral fantasy of animals and birds (Waq-waq)

Artist unknown

A magical plant simultaneously brings forth and eats animal life in multiple forms. Playfully rendered, real and mythic creatures ripen on the vine. All stems issue from the elephant, who is about to eat the main branch, while he, in turn, emerges from one that is about to be cut by the teeth of an ibex at the lower right. <br><br>This painting would have beguiled courtly connoisseurs who enjoyed discovering visual puns in a royal album. Learned viewers would note that an animal-bearing plant recalls medieval Persian stories about the mythical island of Waq-waq, inhabited by half-plant/half-animal creatures.

Artwork details

Date: early 1600s
Medium: Gum tempera and gold on paper
Dimensions: Page: 37.6 x 26.6 cm (14 13/16 x 10 1/2 in.)
Culture: Mughal India
Collection: Indian and Southeast Asian Art

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portrait artwork · 10297 × 14695 pixels

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Artwork total

Rs. 1070

Artwork cost: Rs. 1000

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SIZE & CUSTOMIZATION

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Size / customization

Artwork size: 7" × 10"

Whole-inch standard sizes may trim a small amount from the edges. Artwork is never stretched.