Indo-Persian drawing of a falcon, juxtaposed with poetry by renowned poets Hafez and Muhammad Iqbal

[Indo-Persian Drawing - Falcon. Jahangir Yahya]. [Indo-Persian inscribed drawing of a falcon].

€ 7,500.00

A fine, large Indo-Persian inscribed drawing of a falcon, very likely a Saker falcon or a Barbary falcon, both occurring in the Arabian Peninsula and throughout the Middle East and Pakistan. In the lower right corner, this drawing is signed "Jahangir Yahya" and dated 1301 H (1883 CE). Nothing is known about this (likely Pakistani) artist. The drawing was later juxtaposed with poetry, a practice not uncommon in the Persian and Islamic world. Sometimes there is a relationship between the text and the painting or drawing, sometimes not. For the poem at the right upper corner, the relationship between the drawing and the poem is evident. This verse is signed, reading the name of the poet Allama Iqbal and the date 1351 H (1932 CE), suggesting these verses were written a few years later than the drawing of the falcon. Allama Iqbal refers to the renowned Pakistani poet Sir Muhammad Iqbal (1877-1938), who wrote in both Urdu and Persian and whose Urdu poetry is considered among the greatest of the 20th century. The verses written on the drawing here compare the beloved to a falcon.

The other three verses in the upper left corner and to the left and right side of the falcon are Persian verses by Hafiz (1315-90), one of the most highly regarded classical Persian poets who is best known for his collection of over 400 ghazals. Very likely the ghazals of Hafiz, here added to the drawing, bore a metaphorical meaning relating to the illustration. Although the consistency of the hand suggests the lines were written by the same calligrapher some fifty years after the drawings was made, there is no evidence to suggest whether it was Iqbal himself who signed his name to the verse in the upper right corner or whether it was someone else who added the name of the poet.

Altogether a beautiful drawing of a falcon, beautifully reflecting the Indo-Persian tradition of juxtaposing visual and textual art, here offering verses of some of the greatest Urdu and Persian poets. A few creases and some very minor holes, but overall in good condition.