L'Islam dans les collections nationales (Exhibition Poster featuring Kalila wa Dimna illustration)
Exhibition Poster, Color Lithograph/Offset Print on paper • Graphic design by Maquette Plaih for the Reunion des Musées Nationaux (RMN); original manuscript illustration from Kalila wa Dimna, attributed to the Mamluk School.
Style & Movement
Islamic Art / Mamluk Manuscript Illumination (13th-14th Century) reproduced as a 20th-century Museum Exhibition Poster.
Medium & Technique
Mechanical offset printing on paper; original image based on 13th-century manuscript illumination (opaque pigments and gold on paper).
Creation Period
1977 (Graphic design for the poster); original manuscript illustration dates to the Mamluk period, circa 1200-1350.
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 60 x 40 cm (Standard medium exhibition poster size), Portrait orientation.
Subject Description
Illustration from the fables of 'Kalila wa Dimna' (The Elephant and the Hare). The scene depicts the clever hare tricking the elephant king by showing him the moon's reflection in a pool. It contains Arabic calligraphy at the top and 1977 exhibition text at the bottom.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Fair to Poor; visible surface staining, foxing, and moisture damage across the lower third and right side.
Estimated Market Value
$50 - $150 USD
Auction Estimate
$40 - $100 USD
Provenance History
Produced for the 1977 exhibition 'L'Islam dans les collections nationales' at the Grand Palais, Paris. Private collection possession.
Art Historical Significance
Representing a major 1977 survey of Islamic art in France. The featured image is a seminal example of secular Islamic book illustration, highlighting the cultural exchange of fables from Indian (Panchatantra) to Persian and Arabic traditions.
Notable Features
Includes official institutional credits for the Grand Palais, Bibliothèque nationale de France, and the French Ministry of Culture; features rare Mamluk-style zoomorphic illustration.
Condition Issues
Extensive moisture staining (tide lines), significant foxing (brown spots), surface abrasions, and potential fading of the black typography and central pigments.
Conservation Recommendations
Acid-free archival backing, UV-protective glass, and temperature-controlled environment; professional cleaning by a paper conservator could mitigate the staining.