Illustration of Kalīlah and Dimnah discussing the latter’s scheme to insert himself into the confidence of the king, from a manuscript of Kalīlah wa-Dimnah thought to have been copied in India during the Gujarat Sultanate from an Egyptian source, ca. 1525–50.

Featured on PDR in the essay Travelling Tales: Kalīlah wa-Dimnah and the Animal Fable

Influencing numerous later animal tales told around the world, the 8th-century Arabic fables of Ibn al-Muqaffaʿ’s *Kalīlah wa-Dimnah* also inspired a rich visual tradition of illustration: jackals on trial, airborne turtles, and unlikely alliances between species. Marina Warner follows these stories as they wander and change across time and place, celebrating their sharp political observation and stimulating mix of humour, earnesty, and melancholy.

Kalīlah and Dimnah Discussing the Latter’s Scheme to Insert Himself into the Confidence of the King

Date

ca. 1525–50

From

Kalīlah wa-Dimnah


Underlying Rights

Public Domain Worldwide

Digital Rights

No Additional Rights


  • Exceptional quality, from $32 including delivery
  • Archival inks on high grade art paper
  • Framed option with solid wood and ready to hang

Image Size

2555 x 1616

 Download Image