"Alexander Fights a Sea Battle", Folio from a Khamsa (Quintet) of Amir Khusrau Dihlavi
Medium
Main support: Ink, opaque watercolor, gold on paper Margins: Gold on dyed paper
Dimensions
H. 9 3/4 in. (24.8 cm) W. 6 1/4 in. (15.9 cm)
Classification
Codices
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Alexander Smith Cochran, 1913
Accession Number
13.228.32
Tags
Art Historical Context
This vibrant folio, titled *Alexander Fights a Sea Battle comes from a luxurious *Khamsa* (Quintet)—a collection of five epic poems by 13th-century Persian poet Amirusrau Dihlavi. Created around 1597–98, in the ateliers of Mughal India, it captures a dramatic moment from the legendary adventures of Alexander the Greatknown as Iskandar in Islamic tradition). The artist, Dharmadas, illustrates the chaos of naval combat with boats, warriors on horseback, towering structures, and even whimsical details like rabbits and an ox amid the fray, blending heroism with the fantastical. Rendered in ink, o...
About the Artist
Dharmadas|Amir Khusrau Dihlavi ( |Indian) · |1228 – |1350
|Indian, Patiyali, 1253–1325 Delhi