Today's Edition
SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)
The Louvre Abu Dhabi recently opened the first exhibition of the year “From Kalīla wa Dimna to La Fontaine: Travelling through Fables”, showcasing an extraordinary collection of tales and fables.
The exhibition, running until July 21, 2024, is held in partnership with Bibliothèque nationale de France and France Muséums along with the support of Van Cleef & Arpels.
Curated by Annie Vernay-Nouri, a former chief curator of the Oriental Manuscripts Department at the Bibliothèque nationale de France, the exhibition features over 132 artworks, rare manuscripts, paintings, and contemporary works, displaying timeless narratives of friendship, loyalty, and morality through anthropomorphic animal characters through time.
Speaking to Aletihad, Dr. Guilhem André, Acting Director for Scientific, Curatorial and Collections Management, Louvre Abu Dhabi, said that the latest exhibition is “considered one of our favourites” as it embeds with the traditions and cultures of the UAE and the region.
Fable is a common literary form found in all cultures, with ancient roots.
“The idea of the fable is to reach a very generic public, and that is why there is this very long history of the tales being transmitted, translated throughout time. The format of the tale is something that can easily be caught, and be learned, and be told, be recited for everyone,” he added.
Fables are not mere stories, rather they offer people with morale guidance with relatable animal stories, mirroring human experiences, Dr. André noted.
The exhibition also explored the roots of the fable genre, which can be traced back to India and Greece.
The corpus of Kalīla wa Dimna was originally created in India in the 3rd century and it was called “Panchatantra”. The earliest copies from the Arab world date back to the 13th century, where it has no illustrations or paintings, he said.
The version from India was further enriched by the translations of Ibn al-Muqaffa’ in the 8th century CE in the Arab-Islamic world. The fable collection Kalīla wa Dimna contains stories featuring animals as heroes, and, of course, the collection’s namesakes, two jackals, Kalila and Dimna, both as characters and narrators.
The other version, attributed to Aesop from the Greco-Roman world in the 6th century BCE, was considerably successful and peaked in popularity during the 17th century, along with the French fabulist Jean de La Fontaine, a prominent literary figure.
Highlighting the influence of Arab literature and translations, Dr. André said they point to the interconnections between civilisations in early times.
“It also shows the importance of Arab literature even in these early periods, where in this matter Ibn al-Muqaffa is really seen not only as a translator but as an author,” he added.
The exhibition also throws light on Kalīla wa Dimna’s enduring appeal in the modern era by its numerous editions and artistic adaptations, he noted.
