"The Deposed Monkey King Drops Figs for the Tortoise and the Two Become Friends", Folio from a Kalila wa Dimna
Unknown Artist
second quarter 16th century
Medium
Ink and opaque watercolor on paper
Dimensions
Overall: H. 12 1/2 in. (31.8 cm) W. 8 7/8 in. (22.6 cm) Average text size: H. 8 5/8 in. (21.9 cm) W. 4 7/8 in. (12.4 cm)
Classification
Codices
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Alice and Nasli Heeramaneck Collection, Gift of Alice Heeramaneck, 1981
Accession Number
1981.373.75
Tags
Art Historical Context
This enchanting folio from a *Kalila wa Dimna* manuscript captures a pivotal moment in one of the ancient fables that inspired it: the deposed Monkey King humbly drops figs for a tortoise, forging an unlikely friendship. Part of a renowned collection of animal parables originating from the Indian *Panchatantra* and adapted into Persian during the Islamic Golden Age, these stories use anthropomorphic creatures to impart moral lessons on wisdom, loyalty, and humility. Created by an unknown artist in the quarter of the 16th century—likely in Safavid Persia—this page exemplifies the golden era of ...