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Book/Printed Material Kalīla wa-Dimna.

About this Item

Title

  • Kalīla wa-Dimna.

Summary

  • Kalila wa-Dimna (Kalila and Dimna) is a widely circulated collection of Oriental fables of Indian origin, composed in Sanskrit possibly as early as the third century BC. The fables were translated into Arabic in the eighth century by the Persian Ibn al-Muqaffa', a highly educated writer and influential courtier. In the course of time, this well-known collection of fables developed into a kind of popular literature. The present manuscript with its text influenced by dialect and its rather artless illustrations reveals traces of frequent use and thus bears witness to this development. The manuscript belongs to a corpus of little-known illuminated manuscripts produced in Egypt during the Ottoman Empire. The paintings are schematic, the expression of faces and gestures is stereotypical, and the colors are limited to red, green, and fawn, with occasional use of silver and gold. A comparison of the 101 illustrations with older Arabic pictorial cycles displays, however, an iconographic connection with Mesopotamian and North Syrian painting of the 14th century. The painter applied the repertoire of traditional patterns as well as using contemporary motifs, such as carnations or certain types of clothing. Elements of perspective painting are visible. The illustration on folio 17 recto depicts the physician Bursuya, who brought the Fables of Bidpai, as the book is also called, from India to the Persian court. After his successful return, Bursuya is shown reading Kalīla wa-Dimna to King Anushirwan and numerous courtiers while a servant holds the book for him. The king's exalted position is emphasized by his size and the pinnacle-like ornament above the upper margin. Bursuya is also given a prominent role in the pictorial composition: he is shown seated face-to-face with the king.

Names

  • Ibn al-Muqaffaʻ, died circa 760 Translator.

Created / Published

  • [place of publication not identified] : [publisher not identified], [1500 to 1699]

Headings

  • -  1500 to 1699
  • -  Arabic manuscripts
  • -  Fables, Indic
  • -  Legends

Notes

  • -  Title devised, in English, by Library staff.
  • -  "This description of the work was written by Helga Rebhan.|BSB shelfmark: Cod.arab. 615"--Note extracted from World Digital Library.
  • -  Original resource at: Bavarian State Library.
  • -  Content in Arabic.
  • -  Description based on data extracted from World Digital Library, which may be extracted from partner institutions.

Medium

  • 1 online resource.

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2021667397

Online Format

  • compressed data
  • pdf
  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

IIIF Presentation Manifest

Rights & Access

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Credit Line: [Original Source citation], World Digital Library

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Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Ibn Al-Muqaffaʻ, Died Circa 760 Translator. Kalīla wa-Dimna. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified, to 1699, 1500] Pdf. https://www.loc.gov/item/2021667397/.

APA citation style:

Ibn Al-Muqaffaʻ, D. C. 7. T. (1500) Kalīla wa-Dimna. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified, to 1699] [Pdf] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2021667397/.

MLA citation style:

Ibn Al-Muqaffaʻ, Died Circa 760 Translator. Kalīla wa-Dimna. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified, to 1699, 1500] Pdf. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2021667397/>.