Description:

A RARE STUDY OF A DRAGON WRAPPED AROUND SAZ LEAVES, 18TH CENTURY
Ottoman Empire or Persia, 18th century

Description:
Ink on paper; a striking monochrome composition featuring a sinuous dragon entwined within stylised saz leaves. Executed with expressive, flowing brushwork, the dragon’s form merges seamlessly with the serrated contours of the foliage, in a dynamic interplay of natural and mythical motifs. The delicate line work and rhythmic repetition suggest this was a study or design drawing, possibly for textile, tile, or lacquer decoration. The folio is mounted on marbled borders with inner gold, purple, and turquoise rulings, enclosed within a rich blue card.

Dimensions:
28.5 x 21cm

Comparable examples:

  • Sotheby’s, London, Arts of the Islamic World, 25 October 2017, Lot 65, Ottoman drawing of saz leaves with mythical creature, £6,875 

  • Bonhams, London, Islamic and Indian Art, 30 March 2021, Lot 49, 18th-century ink drawing of floral and dragon design, £5,850 

  • Christie’s, London, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds, 27 April 2023, Lot 101, Ottoman leaf study with dragon motif, £7,020 

Note:
Saz leaves, originating in the Ottoman decorative canon, were a key feature in the visual vocabulary of court ateliers, especially during the 16th–18th centuries. When paired with dragons or phoenixes, they symbolised power, regeneration, and the synthesis of Eastern and Persianate artistic traditions. Drawings like this, though less common than figural scenes, provide valuable insight into the design practices and aesthetic principles of the period.

 

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May 6, 2025 1:00 PM BST
London, United Kingdom

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