Slave, Donkey and Mistress

What it is

This undated Persian miniature painting illustrates a story from Rumi's Masnavi, depicting a servant figure, a donkey, and a veiled woman within a decorated interior setting. The artist is unknown.

Why it matters

The Masnavi contains many parable-like stories meant to teach moral and spiritual lessons, often using everyday or even shocking situations to make a point. Illustrations like this one show how later artists visualized these tales, giving insight into both Rumi's storytelling style and the artistic traditions that illustrated his work. The depiction of the servant figure with dark skin in a subordinate role also reflects social attitudes of the time the illustration was made.

Look closer

• What moral or spiritual lesson might this strange and uncomfortable tale be trying to teach?
• How does the artist use color, posture, and setting to tell the story?
• What does the depiction of the servant figure reveal about social attitudes at the time this image was created?