Folio from a Shahnama (Book of kings) by Firdawsi (d.1020); recto: Ardashir slays Haftwad; verso: The story of slaying of Haftwad’s worm

Detached folio from a dispersed copy of the Shahnama (Book of kings) by Firdawsi; text: Persian in black nasta’liq script, heading in red, recto: Ardashir slays Haftwad; verso: text: The story of slaying of Haftwad’s worm, four columns, twenty-five lines; one of a group of three folios.
Border: The text and the painting are set in gold, black, and blue rulings on cream-colored paper.

View right to left

Historical period(s)
Safavid period, circa 1580
Medium
Opaque watercolor, ink and gold on paper
Dimensions
H x W: 31 x 20.2 cm (12 3/16 x 7 15/16 in)
Geography
Iran, Qazvin?
Credit Line
Purchase — Smithsonian Unrestricted Trust Funds, Smithsonian Collections Acquisition Program, and Dr. Arthur M. Sackler
Collection
Arthur M. Sackler Collection
Accession Number
S1986.247
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Manuscript
Type

Detached manuscript folio

Keywords
Ardashir, battle, elephant, epic, Henri Vever collection, horse, Iran, Safavid period (1501 - 1722), Shahnama
Provenance

1930
Unidentified sale, 1930, no. 125. [1]

To 1942
Henri Vever (1854-1942), Paris and Noyers, France. [2]

From 1942 to 1986
Family member, Paris and Boulogne, France, by inheritance from Henri Vever, Paris and Noyers, France. [3]

From 1986
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, purchased from a family member, Paris and Boulogne, France. [4]

Notes:

[1] See Susan Nemazee, "Appendix 7: Chart of Recent Provenance" in An Annotated and Illustrated Checklist of the Vever Collection, Glenn D. Lowry et al (Washington, DC: Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; Seattle and London: University of Washington Press, 1988), p. 407.

[2] See the Agreement for the Purchase and Sale of the Henri Vever Collection of January 9, 1986, Collections Management Office.

[3] See note 2.

[4] See note 2.

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

Henri Vever 1854-1942
Francois Mautin 1907-2003

Description

Detached folio from a dispersed copy of the Shahnama (Book of kings) by Firdawsi; text: Persian in black nasta'liq script, heading in red, recto: Ardashir slays Haftwad; verso: text: The story of slaying of Haftwad's worm, four columns, twenty-five lines; one of a group of three folios.
Border: The text and the painting are set in gold, black, and blue rulings on cream-colored paper.

Marking(s)

Stamps: on back frame: blue and red ink

Published References
  • 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. 121, p. 111.
Collection Area(s)
Arts of the Islamic World
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
SI Usage Statement

Usage Conditions Apply

There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

The information presented on this website may be revised and updated at any time as ongoing research progresses or as otherwise warranted. Pending any such revisions and updates, information on this site may be incomplete or inaccurate or may contain typographical errors. Neither the Smithsonian nor its regents, officers, employees, or agents make any representations about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of the information on the site. Use this site and the information provided on it subject to your own judgment. The Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery welcome information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.

citation | Save this image How to download an image | Request Permission | Terms of Use

Related Objects