EXOTIC ANIMALS IN ISLAMIC ART – NOTHING WAS BEYOND THEIR IMAGINATION

EXOTIC ANIMALS IN ISLAMIC ART
NOTHING WAS BEYOND THEIR IMAGINATION

Muslim Masters at usual work

Giraffe or Camel
Giraffe or Camel

The Art of M.A. Rahman Chughtai includes animals and birds. Lovely animals were in the domain of the imagination of Muslim Masters. Their imagination captured animals which they had not even seen in real life. Imagination of these painters was rife with observation as well as imagination. The behavioural element of animals captured their fantasy. The world of animals was within their reach.

Elegant Deer
Elegant Deer

Sultans had their personal zoos filled with exotic animals from all over the world. The more exotic the source, the more it intrigued their imagination. Even residues of dead animals they loved to possess as Emperor Jahangeer was himself fond of collecting daggers with hilts made of Rhino’s horn.

The Morning Star
The Morning Star

Griffins and Harpies also fascinated these artists We find Griffins in works of many Muslim Masters. We here present an assortment of M.A. Rahman Chughtai as well as other Muslim Masters, depicting animals of all kinds. Enjoy!

Mughal Princess with Horse
Mughal Princess with Horse
Leopard
Leopard
Taming a lion
Taming a lion
Exotic conceptions
Exotic conceptions
Harpies
Harpies

3 thoughts on “EXOTIC ANIMALS IN ISLAMIC ART – NOTHING WAS BEYOND THEIR IMAGINATION”

  1. People have been drawn to stories about exotic animals throughout our history. The further you go back in that history, the less likely those stories were accurate. In this Era, Arts in Pakistan can comprehensively be classified into three areas, for example, Literature, notably poetry!

    1. Chughtai excels in literature, poetry all the time. But there is so much more. Foremost was Philosophy of life itself.

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