The Seven-Headed Dragon

Acrylic, watercolor & gold on hand-painted paper, 30 x 50 cm, Artist’s Collection

This miniature painting depicts a story from the Book of Dede Korkut, an important Turkic cultural narrative. It relates the encounter between Salur Kazan, the great khan of the Oghuz tribe, and the seven-headed dragon. Upon seeing him, the bloodthirsty dragon begins to scream, blazing fire from his mouth. But fearless Salur Kazan draws his bow, shoots the dragon, and slays it. 

Curator’s Note: The Book of Dede Korkut is a collection of epic stories describing the nomadic lifestyle and pre-Islamic beliefs of the Oghuz, a Turkic tribe that migrated westward from Central Asia in the 8th and 9th centuries. Many people living today in Turkey, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan trace their heritage to the Oghuz.