MUGHAL INDIA, 18TH CENTURY

Details

'UBAID ZAKANI (D. AH 772/1370-71 AD): KITAB-I MUSH U GURBA
Mughal India, 18th century
Manuscript in verse in Persian, 10ff. each with a large miniature telling the story of a war between the cats and the mice, lines of fine black nasta'liq within gold clouds above and below, outer margin of floral meander, slight flaking, later brown morocco binding with gold floral design with perching birds and tooled medallion and spandrels
Folio 9¾ x 6 1/8in. (25 x 15.5cm.)

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Lot Essay

This manuscript tells the tale of a war between the cats and the mice. Persecuted by the cats, the mice attempt to appease their enemy by making offerings to the cat ruler. When their ambassadors are attacked and killed, the mice army sets forth on horseback and with elephants. The mice are victorious in battle and the cat king is captured and executed.
This very charming manuscript is notable for the number of miniatures used to illustrate this tale. Two other copies are in the Bodleian Library, Oxford. (Catalogue of the Persian Manuscripts in the Bodleian library, Part 1, nos.797, 799).

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