The wandering minstrel from Parajanov’s universe

An illustration inspired by the flamboyant film Ashik Kerib, directed by Sergei Parajanov and Dodo Abashidze, based on a story by the writer Mikhail Lermontov. The film tells the tale of the wandering minstrel Ashik Kerib, who falls in love with the daughter of a wealthy merchant but is rejected by her father. He is then forced to travel the world for a thousand and one nights, not before the daughter promises that she will not marry until his return.

Here is the portrait of the minstrel as it remained in my imagination, drawn from the traditional world of Azerbaijan.