id: 170796 accession number: 2013.301 share license status: CC0 url: https://clevelandart.org/art/2013.301 updated: 2021-06-29 06:36:59.931000 Layla and Majnun in the wilderness with animals, from a Khamsa (Quintet) of Amir Khusrau Dihlavi, c. 1590–1600. Attributed to Sanwalah (Indian, active c. 1580–1600). Opaque watercolor, ink and gold on paper; page: 24.9 x 16.8 cm (9 13/16 x 6 5/8 in.); painting: 18.6 x 16.2 cm (7 5/16 x 6 3/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift in honor of Madeline Neves Clapp; Gift of Mrs. Henry White Cannon by exchange; Bequest of Louise T. Cooper; Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund; From the Catherine and Ralph Benkaim Collection 2013.301 title: Layla and Majnun in the wilderness with animals, from a Khamsa (Quintet) of Amir Khusrau Dihlavi title in original language: series: series in original language: creation date: c. 1590–1600 creation date earliest: 1590 creation date latest: 1599 current location: creditline: Gift in honor of Madeline Neves Clapp; Gift of Mrs. Henry White Cannon by exchange; Bequest of Louise T. Cooper; Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund; From the Catherine and Ralph Benkaim Collection copyright: --- culture: India, Mughal technique: opaque watercolor, ink and gold on paper department: Indian and Southeast Asian Art collection: Indian Art - Mughal type: Painting find spot: catalogue raisonne: --- CREATORS * Sanwalah (Indian, active c. 1580–1600) - artist --- measurements: Page: 24.9 x 16.8 cm (9 13/16 x 6 5/8 in.); Painting: 18.6 x 16.2 cm (7 5/16 x 6 3/8 in.) state of the work: edition of the work: support materials: inscriptions: inscription: Calligraphy of Persian sayings from the aphoristic meditations of Khwaja Abd-Allah Ansari (Persian, 1006–1089) in top and bottom borders, in nasta‘liq script: What is “dervishness”? It is a little lump of fine purified soil with a sprinkling of a few drops of water: neither is the sole of the foot irritated by it, nor does the heel of the foot collect dust from it. The work of the lowly . . . translation: remark: inscription: Persian inscription at top right, in nasta‘liq script: the meeting of Layla and Majnun, lover and beloved translation: remark: --- CURRENT EXHIBITIONS title: Art and Stories from Mughal India opening date: 2016-07-31T04:00:00 Art and Stories from Mughal India. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (July 31-October 23, 2016). --- LEGACY EXHIBITIONS * Main Asian Rotation (Gallery 245); December 31, 2013 - June 30, 2014.

The Cleveland Museum of Art (7/31/2016-10/23/2016); Art and Stories from Mughal India, cat. 18, p. 191. --- PROVENANCE --- fun fact: White paint, prone to flaking, chipped off her face, revealing the underdrawing. digital description: wall description: Nestled in the multicolored rocks are the reunited lovers Layla and Majnun, forced by society to remain separated for years. Majnun’s name means “madman,” since the separation drove him past the brink of sanity. Exiling himself to the wilderness, he became emaciated. When Layla found him after a prophetic dream, the wild animals gathered around, drawn to the purity and depth of their love. This painting illustrates a version of the story as told by an Indian author who wrote in Persian. He altered the ending given by previous Persian authors to the ancient Bedouin tale that originated among nomadic tribes of the Arabian Peninsula, in which Layla dies before the couple can be physically reunited. --- RELATED WORKS --- CITATIONS Archives of Asian Art 64, no. 2 (2014): 226. page number: 226 url: --- IMAGES web: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2013.301/2013.301_web.jpg print: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2013.301/2013.301_print.jpg full: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2013.301/2013.301_full.tif