A floral fantasy of animals and birds (Waq-waq) — Restored Mughal Wall Art

A magical plant simultaneously brings forth and eats animal life in multiple forms. Playfully rendered, real and mythic creatures ripen on the vine. All stems issue from the elephant, who is about to eat the main branch, while he, in turn, emerges from one that is about to be cut by the teeth of an ibex at the lower right.

This painting would have beguiled courtly connoisseurs who enjoyed discovering visual puns in a royal album. Learned viewers would note that an animal-bearing plant recalls medieval Persian stories about the mythical island of Waq-waq, inhabited by half-plant/half-animal creatures.

Mughal India, early 1600s. Original medium: Gum tempera and gold on paper.

Worth knowing: The dragon threatens to singe the boar’s beard.

Faithfully restored from museum archives and printed on premium canvas-textured fine art paper, framed and ready to hang.

• Enhanced matte paper framed poster
• Sizes: 12×16 in and 18×24 in
• Frame colors: Black, Red Oak, White
• Free shipping