Kalila Wa Dimna  (English, Hardcover, Cowen Jill Sanchia)

The "Kalila wa Dimna" animal tales, which became known in the West as "The Fables of La Fontaine", can be traced to 4th century India. The tales teach diplomacy and statecraft through the dialogue of animal characters, including two Machievellian jackals. In the 14th century Mongol court of Persia, these tales inspired one of the most remarkable works of Persian art, a narrative cycle of paintings now in the collection of the Istanbul University Library. This volume contains a new translation of the tales and a study of 50 paintings from the original manuscript. It explores the ways in which the artists enriched and expanded the content of the fables to create a wicked and allegorical portrait of the Mongol court.