Demon in chains

Description

This page once belonged to a miscellany from the library of the early Ottonian sultans. It depicts two people in nomadic garb leading a demon, or Persian div, in chains between them. The female figure holding the chain to her face is painted to look nearly as ferocious as the captured div. The concept of divs as evil supernatural creatures of mysterious origin dates to pre-Islamic Persia, but they are also described in the text of the Qur'an. Divs in Persian literature and folktales are sometimes captured and forced to use their magic to serve a king or hero.

Provenance

W. Schultz, Leipzig, Germany; Vignier, Paris, France (before May 19,1982); (Sotheby's, New York, NY, Islamic Works of Art, May 19, 1982 sale, no. 4867Y, lot 114, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art) (May 19, 1982); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (1982–)

Demon in chains

Muhammad Siya Qalam

c. 1453

Accession Number

1982.63

Medium

opaque watercolor and gold on paper

Dimensions

Image: 25.7 x 34.4 cm (10 1/8 x 13 9/16 in.); Overall: 27 x 35.2 cm (10 5/8 x 13 7/8 in.)

Classification

Manuscript

Museum

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Cleveland, United States

Credit Line

Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund