Artwork
Dragon in foliage with lion and phoenix heads
Dragon in foliage with lion and phoenix heads is a drawing by the Renaissance artist Sahkulu. It dates from 1504 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. This drawing depicts a dragon surrounded by foliage, grasping a pearl and interacting with other creatures.
- Accession no.
- 1944.492
- Credit line
- Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
About this work
Overview
This drawing depicts a dragon surrounded by foliage, grasping a pearl and interacting with other creatures.
Subject & Meaning
The dragon lunges at a pearl inscribed with a Quranic verse, “And I commit my case unto God” (40:44). It is entangled with flowering branches terminating in a lion that bites its neck and a phoenix competing for the pearl, creating a scene of symbolic struggle.
Technique & Style
The drawing showcases intricate detail and a blend of Persian and Ottoman styles, evident in the precise rendering of the dragon's scales and the fantastical creatures.
History & Provenance
Sahkulu, the artist, was trained by Persian artists and became head of the Ottoman imperial painting atelier in Istanbul in 1545, having joined in 1526. His work later influenced Mughal art in India through his students.
Artist & collection
Artist
Şahkulu, also known as Şahkulu Baba, or Karabıyıkoğlu, was the leader of the pro-Shia and pro-Safavid uprising in Anatolia – the Şahkulu Rebellion – directed against the Ottoman Empire in 1511.
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