Folio from a Shahnama (Book of kings) by Firdawsi (d.1020); recto: The court of Gayumarth; verso: text: Siyamak slain by the black demon

Detached folio from a dispersed copy of the Shahnama (Book of kings) by Firdawsi; text: Persian in black nasta’liq script; recto: illustration and text, The court of Gayumarth; verso: text, Siyamak slain by the black demon, four columns, twenty-five lines, marginal correction of scribal errors; one of a group of six folios.
Border: The painting and the text are set in gold, green and red rulings on cream-colored paper.

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Historical period(s)
Safavid period, circa 1600
Medium
Ink, opaque watercolor and gold on paper
Dimensions
H x W (overall): 34.4 x 20.9 cm (13 9/16 x 8 1/4 in)
Geography
Afghanistan, Herat
Credit Line
Purchase — Smithsonian Unrestricted Trust Funds, Smithsonian Collections Acquisition Program, and Dr. Arthur M. Sackler
Collection
Arthur M. Sackler Collection
Accession Number
S1986.222
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Manuscript
Type

Detached manuscript folio

Keywords
court, demon, fire, Gayumarth, Henri Vever collection, Iran, leopard, Safavid period (1501 - 1722), Shahnama
Provenance
Provenance research underway.
Description

Detached folio from a dispersed copy of the Shahnama (Book of kings) by Firdawsi; text: Persian in black nasta'liq script; recto: illustration and text, The court of Gayumarth; verso: text, Siyamak slain by the black demon, four columns, twenty-five lines, marginal correction of scribal errors; one of a group of six folios.
Border: The painting and the text are set in gold, green and red rulings on cream-colored paper.

Published References
  • Rene Grousset. The Civilizations of the East. 4 vols., New York and London, 1931-1934. vol. 1: p. 362, fig. 274.
  • Glenn D. Lowry, Milo Cleveland Beach, Elisabeth West FitzHugh, Susan Nemanzee, Janet Snyder. An Annotated and Illustrated Checklist of the Vever Collection. Washington and Seattle. cat. 153, p. 123.
Collection Area(s)
Arts of the Islamic World
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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