Folio from a Mantiq al-Tayr (Language of the Birds)

Art Historical Context

This exquisite folio hails from a lavishly illustrated manuscript of *Mantiq al-Tayr* (Language of the Birds), the renowned 12th-century Sufi allegorical poem by Persian mystic Farid al-Din `Attar. Dated to A.H. 892/1486 CE, it captures the Timurid era's pinnacle of Persian manuscript illumination, when intricate codices like this one blended poetry, spirituality, and artistry. The birds' epic quest for the divine Simurgh symbolizes the soul's journey toward enlightenment—a timeless Sufi metaphor that resonated deeply in Islamic literary and visual traditions. Crafted with ink, opaque waterco...