Woman with Vase of Lilies
Unknown Artist
second half 16th century
Medium
Opaque watercolor and gold on paper
Dimensions
H. 12 7/8 in. (32.7 cm) W. 8 5/8 in. (21.9 cm)
Classification
Codices
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1955
Accession Number
55.121.20
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate folio, *Woman with Vase ofies*, hails from the second half the 16th century exemplifies the refined artistry of Islamic manuscript illumination. Created with opaque watercolor and gold on paper, it a modest 12⅞ × 8⅝ inches, perfect for the intimate pages of a codex. The unknown artist captures a poised woman alongside a vibrant vase of lilies, evoking serenity and natural beauty through meticulous detailing—a hallmark of Persianate miniature painting traditions flourishing under Safavid patronage in Persia or regional courts. In the Islamic art world, such works often adorned lu...