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Sea Serpent (al-Tannin)

Barely contained within a thinly-painted gold border is a large serpentine figure. Its coiling, sinuous, gray body is covered in small and large circular scales, and its back features a gold spine that resembles flickering flames. It has a moon-shaped face with large red eyes. The face is surrounded by six dragon-like heads with long, thin, curving necks. These heads have large red eyes, long snouts, and gaping mouths with protruding red tongues. The two heads that encircle the moon face rest on top of it with their snouts touching each other. The image is framed by paper borders in dark and light blue, and is mounted into an album page that is tan in color with silver flecks. Immediately to the right of the serpent are traces of Arabic writing in black ink and naskh script. The text runs vertically in the present configuration, implying that the serpent would have been oriented horizontally in its original context within a manuscript.

15th century

Albums

Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper

31.8 x 20.3 cm (12 1/2 x 8 in.)

Harvard Art Museums