Eskandar in the Land of Darkness Seeking the Fountain of Life

This is the earliest known painting of this episode by Moʿin, which he painted two other times in the course of his career -- see ms.D folio 80 and ms.G folio 299. In ms.G the scene is properly potrayed in accordance with the Warner and Warner translation where Eskandar's procession moves from through a dark tunnel, led by the Prophet Ḵeżr, whom Eskandar enlisted as a guide, portrayed with a white veil over his face and a flaming halo.

Here in ms.B however, it would seem that Moʿin has again (see ms.B, no. 4-306) combined two closely related events from the same episode into one composition. During their advance in the land of darkness Eskandar and Ḵeżr encountered a fork in the path and were separated. Ḵeżr went on to the fountain, but Eskandar did not observe this. The Prophet Ḵeżr shown without flaming halo, is squatting in the lower left before a pool that might be identified as the fountain of youth. He is accopanied by another persoage, generally accepted as the Prophet Ilyas (the Arabic name for Elijah), although Ilyas is not mentioned anywhere in the Warner text. Ḵeżr and Ilyas agsin appear in ms.D folio 80 except for the addition of the flaming halos on the two prophets.

Page: 34.5 x 21.2 cm.
Painting: 23.4 x 11.3 cm.
Written surface: 28.5 x 14 cm.
Four-column text of four lines each located above and below the painting; text written on a diagonal across the top, bottom and down the right side. Gilt interlinear decoration permeates the text. The painting is signed in the lower margin, raqam-e kamina moʿin-e moṣavver.

Location:
Current whereabouts unknown

Painting references:
Sotheby's London 15 October 2003 lot 30

Text references:
Warner, VI, pp.158-62; Mohl, V, pp.173ff. Levy, pp.245-46.

Robert Eng
Last Updated: May 16, 2012 | Originally published:May 16, 2012