Cleveland Museum of Art
Layla and Majnun in the wilderness with animals, from a Khamsa (Quintet) of Amir Khusrau Dihlavi
Sanwalah
- Date
- c. 1590–1600
- Medium
- Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
- Department
- Indian and Southeast Asian Art
- Institution
- Cleveland Museum of Art
Nestled in the multicolored rocks are the reunited lovers Layla and Majnun, forced by society to remain separated for years. Majnun’s name means “madman,” since the separation drove him past the brink of sanity. Exiling himself to the wilderness, he became emaciated. When Layla found him after a prophetic dream, the wild animals gathered around, drawn to the purity and depth of their love. This painting illustrates a version of the story as told by an Indian author who wrote in Persian. He altered the ending given by previous Persian authors to the ancient Bedouin tale that originated among nomadic tribes of the Arabian Peninsula, in which Layla dies before the couple can be physically reunited. White paint, prone to flaking, chipped off her face, revealing the underdrawing.
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