Folio page with a painting depicting two scenes: above, a prince gives a scarf to a beggar while eight attendants watch; below, a poor man is expelled from a feast with seven guests. Above the illustration are four lines of black calligraphy, arranged in four columns on a tan background.
AKM284.10, The Prince of Khotan, the Ascetic, and the Hungry Man

© The Aga Khan Museum

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The Prince of Khotan, the Ascetic, and the Hungry Man
Folio from the Manuscript of Kulliyat (Collected Works) of Sa`di (d. 1292)
  • Accession Number:AKM284.10
  • Place:India, Agra
  • Dimensions:41.8 x 26.2 cm
  • Date:ca. 1604
  • Materials and Technique:opaque watercolour, ink, and gold on paper
  • This is the eighth painting to appear in the Bustan, and it is marked as page 133 in the manuscript. It illustrates two didactic stories: the upper part depicts Prince of Khotan presenting a silk scarf to an ascetic who does not value worldly treasures; the lower part depicts the story of a feast from which a poor man is expelled.

     

    See AKM284 for an introduction to the Kulliyat (Collected Works) of Sa'di, and other paintings from this manuscript.

     

    — Marika Sardar

Note: This online resource is reviewed and updated on an ongoing basis. We are committed to improving this information and will revise and update knowledge about this object as it becomes available.

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