1940 Vintage First Edition Swiss Offset Lithograph After Persian 1237 A. D. Painting

An excellent vintage First Edition offset lithograph, print, of Persian painting "Abu Zayad and Al-Haris Questioning a Villager", as a fragment, from a rare First Limited Edition art folio published in Switzerland in 1940. Printed on one side of heavy paper. Mounted on a large sheet of vintage paper. Detailed. Excellent condition - minor age wear on the board, never framed. This 78 years old print in full color. Overall 11"W x 15"H Image 7.05"W x 8.15"H The original artwork comes from a manuscript of the MAQAMAT (Assemblies) of Hariri copied and illustrated by Yahya b. Mahmud b. Yahya b. Abi' l-Hasan b Kuwwariha al-Wasiti (of Wasit in Mesopotamia) in 634 H. (A.D. 1237). Abu Zayd, the hero of the book and al-Haris the narrator, are seen mounted on camels in the forebackground. Behind them (i.e. at the top of the piece) is a village in which various shops can be seen while a mosque with minaret rises behind. On the right is a goatherd spinning beside the goats. In the centre is a pool, represented by the swirling convention usually employed for water at this period. The ninety-nine miniatures contained in this manuscript are finest work of the Mesopotamian or Baghdad school of the 13th century.