The Ebony Horse
Acrylic on papier-mâché, 350 USD (set)
Ebony Horse, Wheels reflect its mechanical, magical nature; the human face represents the prince's beloved. 51 × 20 × 63 cm
Focusing on technology capable of doing both good and bad, this story evokes for me the tension between tradition and innovation—a theme many Eastern societies continue to grapple with.
Source
This tale is inspired by the story of the same name from the translation of One Thousand and One Nights, published in 1885 by English author and Orientalist Richard Francis Burton. According to German Iranologist and Islamic scholar Ulrich Marzolph, The Ebony Horse is among the stories added by 17th-century Syrian storyteller Hanna Diyab, one of the most important narrators associated with these collected stories.
My telling of the story
An Indian inventor arrives in the Persian city of Shiraz with an astonishingly lifelike mechanical horse. Captivated, the King of Persian gifts it to his son, the prince. Immediately mounting it, the prince suddenly soars into the sky. Having no idea how to make the horse descend, he’s carried off to faraway lands and adventures. Finally, by sheer chance, he lands in a distant Bengali kingdom where he meets a beautiful princess. The two fall in love, and the prince persuades the princess to return with him to Persia.
Back in Shiraz, the King is overjoyed to see his beloved son safely home, and releases the unjustly imprisoned inventor. However, the inventor—taking revenge—also falls in love with the princess and abducts her. In the blink of an eye, they disappear on the Ebony Horse. They eventually arrive in Kashmir, whose king rescues the princess. But then he decides to marry her—without her consent. Refusing, the princess pretends to have gone mad.
Meanwhile, determined to find his beloved, the Persian prince who’s been searching everywhere eventually reaches Kashmir. Disguised as a physician, he gains access to the “mad” princess, revealing his true identity to her. Convinced by the doctor-prince that the Ebony Horse is essential to the princess’ recovery, the king has it brought before them. Seizing this opportunity, the prince and princess mount the Ebony Horse, fly back to Persia, and are happily married.
Takeaways
Intelligence, courage, and perseverance triumph over every challenge.
Technology can be a double-edged sword.
Relationships based on loyalty and steadfastness survive separation and hardship.
Demon Head, These heads represent the magical creatures the prince encountered on his journeys. 15 × 17 × 17 cm
Demon Head, Both heads are included to enhance the fantastical atmosphere of the visual narrative. 21 × 19 × 23 cm