The Conference of the Birds
The Conference of the Birds

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The “Conference of the Birds” is a 12th-century Sufi poem by Attar of Nishapur, that is a timeless parabol of the mystical quest for the Truth. It features the hoopoe, a spiritual guide figure, leading the birds on a perilous search for their King, the mythical Simorgh. Each bird in turn makes an excuse for not setting out, until at last they are all ready to take part.

I have a deep love of birds, and painted this series out of a desire to create some illumination-inspired work, with traditional pigments and materials, and gold accents. Each bird is perched on a rendition of its Arabic name in the “Eastern Kufic” style, which originates in Persia just like the poem. The text accompanying each bird is my own, trying to distil the essence of that particular passage in a form short enough to fit inside the halo.

Materials: oakgall ink, egg tempera with natural pigments*, gold leaf 23.75 ct.

* Pigment list for the whole series: burnt sienna, venetian red, vermilion, lac dye, rose madder, madder red, lead tin yellow, yellow ocher, terre verte, chrysocolla, dioptase, cavansite, azurite, lapis lazuli, eggshell white.

The Conference of the Birds 1
The nightingale symbolizes deluded love (being enamored with the rose which neither cares nor lasts).
The nightingale symbolizes deluded love (being enamored with the rose which neither cares nor lasts).
The goldfinch symbolizes false humility, claiming to be too small and weak to survive the road.
The goldfinch symbolizes false humility, claiming to be too small and weak to survive the road.
The duck symbolizes frivolous attachments, being more fixated on water itself than on the purpose of ablution.
The duck symbolizes frivolous attachments, being more fixated on water itself than on the purpose of ablution.
The falcon symbolizes ambition, and is content to be shackled in order to be on the king's arm.
The falcon symbolizes ambition, and is content to be shackled in order to be on the king's arm.
The heron symbolizes misguided longing.
The heron symbolizes misguided longing.
The osprey symbolizes pride and doesn't feel he needs to bother looking for the Simorgh.
The osprey symbolizes pride and doesn't feel he needs to bother looking for the Simorgh.
In the poem, the owl symbolizes love of wealth.
In the poem, the owl symbolizes love of wealth.
The parrot symbolizes false immortality, and would rather stay safe in her cage and live forever.
The parrot symbolizes false immortality, and would rather stay safe in her cage and live forever.
The partridge symbolizes avarice as she lives for jewels and precious stones.
The partridge symbolizes avarice as she lives for jewels and precious stones.
In the poem, the ringdove and an unnamed hesitant bird are separate. I combined them to symbolize indecision.
In the poem, the ringdove and an unnamed hesitant bird are separate. I combined them to symbolize indecision.
In the poem, the peacock symbolizes the hope for an illusory heaven.
In the poem, the peacock symbolizes the hope for an illusory heaven.
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