A double-sided Illuminated Leaf: Birds Flying Around a Tree, Persia or India, 17th Century

Gold on pink paper, reserved against a blue ground on both sides, margins ruled in red, blue and gold

This highly decorative design is extremely unusual for being executed in reserve against a coloured ground, rather than the normal technique of painting in colours on a plain background, and creates a lush and striking visual effect. Whilst the individual motifs are reminiscent of Persian decorative styles of the period, including Safavid tiles and manuscript border illustrations, it is also possible that the present work was produced in India. Clear comparisons can be made with Mughal and Deccani textiles and carpets during the early seventeenth century, as well as floral studies on paper and album border illustrations, which were popular at the time.  

For related works see the following: Leach 1998, no.67; Zebrowski 1983, co.pl.XII, figs.87 and 101; Canby 1998, no.116; Topsfield and Beach 1991, no.8 and Walker 1997, figs.31,
33, 34, 92 and 98. An almost identical sister leaf, presumably the facing page to the present illustration in the original manuscript, was sold in these rooms 18 October 2001, lot 60.