When we see a fantastic
animal such as the monster from the Ames
Mughal Hunting Carpet. There is a tendency to look
into our own realm of experiences for answers. For
answers a more appropriate place to look for answers is
the art and artists of the Islamic world. When we do that
then we see what appears to be a unique creature is
actually on of a line of related motifs.
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Slaying of an Elephant
Headed Creature.1.
Mughal India late sixteenth century. The
Al-Sabah Collection
Here we see a creature with the body of a lion
and the head of an elephant. the creature has the
feathery streamers that signify that it is a
mystical creature. The coloring of the rocks as
well as the small living bush and the small dead
bush in the foreground rocks tells me that if
this is not by Abd as Samad it is certainly in
his style.
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It has been suggested that the elephant headed monster
is "straight out of Hindu Mythology". 2. While the Hindu religion does have an
elephant headed man (god) I can find no trace of any
other creature with an elephant head besides elephants.
before assign the derivation of this design to the Hindus
it seems to be more appropriate to look to the books the
artists were illustrating. In the Shahnama I find what I
feel is a more likely predecessor to the Ames monster.
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Bahram
Conquers The Monster Tabriz first half
fourteenth century. 3.
The great epic poem of Persian literature
called the Shahnama tells of a lion monster
called Kappi who terrorizes the country side
until the hero Bahram slays the beast.
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While we may never know for sure it would seem more
likely that the monster in the Ames rug is Kappi the
monster from the Shahnama drawn in a rather fanciful
manner.
1. Atil, Esin et al. Islamic Art, Treasures from
Kuwait. Washington: The Al-Sabah Collection, 1990
plate 80.
2. Bennett, Ian et al. Rugs & Carpets of the
World. Edison: Wellfleet Press, 1977. p. 127.
3. This one is from a book in a language that I do not
recognize. Fortunately the captions of the plates are in
three languages including one I speak. The style is
similar but superior to the Shahnama of Firdawsi which a
French art dealer named Demotte cut up. On that basis I
would attribute this miniature to Tabriz first half
fourteenth century. This illustration is from: Kerimov
Kerim. Azerbaijan Miniature, (baKbI: NLLIbIT, (?)
1980) plate 9. For comparison to understand my
attribution please see: Gray, Basil. Persian Painting.
New York: 1961, Skira, Rizzoli, 1977 p. 28 to 32 and
accompanying plates.
Ames Mughal Hunting Carpet, The Widener Mughal Animal Carpet
For Further Reading:
Guide to Rugs
& Books
La Miniature En
Orient
Southwest Asia Time
Line
Thanks and best wishes,
J. Barry O'Connell Jr.
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