Mythological Figure, Leading a Huge Cat, ca. 1700–1800
MediumBodycolour
Sheet dimensions19,3 × 32,3 cm
Place of originSouth Asia
About the workWhat a strange pairing! This horned creature is a “div” – a figure from Islamic mythology that often appears as an adversary to the heroes. The div is leading a big cat whose body is composed of a number of different animals. Both figures reveal echoes of Persian and Indian pictorial traditions, although the original meaning of the motif and its purpose are unclear. In the eighteenth century, European officers were highly interested in images like these, which they collected and brought to Europe.
Provenance[…]; o. D. Laurenz Heinrich Hetjens (Düsseldorf 1830 - 1906 Aachen); vor 1954 übernommen vom Hetjens-Museum, Düsseldorf
Inventory numberK 1954-101
