The Rose and the Nightingale - Listen to the Art

Have you ever listened to an artwork? Or smelled its scent? Not the usual approach we take with art. And yet, if you imagine doing just that for a moment with this intricately decorated lacquer binding - exploring and immersing yourself in its delicate beauty - a totally unexpected, sensuous world may unfold.

Listen to the three nightingales that perch ever so gently on the twigs of the rose bush - what songs might they sing? And as you listen, close your eyes, inhale, and enjoy the heavenly scent of the rose – a flower much revered in Muslim cultures for its heavenly beauty, its associations with the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) and as a metaphor for the Beloved, in this world or beyond. In the literature and art of many eastern Islamic cultures in particular, the theme of the rose and the nightingale (gul-u-bulbul) has made for one of the most popular stories since the 16th century.

Here, it is eternalized by Mahmud Shirazi, a well-respected court illuminator in his time, who signed and dated his work on the inside of the binding. In painting his masterpiece, Shirazi undoubtedly attempted to reflect the breathtaking beauty of the story’s poetic words, a beauty that continued to inspire listeners and readers over many centuries – not only across the Islamic world, but even beyond. In the 19th century for example, the famous Irish poet Oscar Wilde authored a beautiful heartbreaking story directly inspired by the gul-u-bulbul theme.

The next time you are near an art piece, take the time to listen to it, and imagine what story it may tell you.

Written by Special Guest Contributor Dr. Ulrike Al-Khamis, Director and CEO at the Aga Khan Museum, Toronto. In each issue, we feature a special treasure from the Aga Khan Museum, one that tells a story, captures a moment and inspires conversation.