Folio from a dispersed copy of Shahnama (Book of kings) by Firdawsi; recto, The birth of Manuchehr; verso, Salm and Tur learned about Manuchehr’s act, The message of Salm and Tur to Manuchehr

Detached folio from a dispersed copy of the Shahnama (Book of kings) by Firdawsi; Persian in black nasta’liq script; recto: text:The birth of Manuchehr, four columns, thirty-five lines; verso: text: Salm and Tur learned about Manuchehr’s act, The message of Salm and Tur to Manuchehr, headings in gold, four columns, thirty-five lines.
Border: The recto and verso are set in gold, green, and red rulings with an inner frame of gold floral and leaf scroll on a blue ground, and an outer frame with landscape, and animal motifs.

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Historical period(s)
Mughal dynasty, Reign of Jahangir, ca. 1620
Movement
Mughal Court
School
Mughal School
Medium
Opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on paper
Dimensions
H x W (overall): 34.7 x 23.2 cm (13 11/16 x 9 1/8 in)
Geography
India
Credit Line
Purchase — Smithsonian Unrestricted Trust Funds, Smithsonian Collections Acquisition Program, and Dr. Arthur M. Sackler
Collection
Arthur M. Sackler Collection
Accession Number
S1986.351
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Manuscript
Type

Detached manuscript folio

Keywords
bird, cheetah, gazelle, goose, Henri Vever collection, India, Mughal dynasty (1526 - 1858), Reign of Jahangir (1605 - 1627)
Provenance
Provenance research underway.
Description

Detached folio from a dispersed copy of the Shahnama (Book of kings) by Firdawsi; Persian in black nasta'liq script; recto: text:The birth of Manuchehr, four columns, thirty-five lines; verso: text: Salm and Tur learned about Manuchehr's act, The message of Salm and Tur to Manuchehr, headings in gold, four columns, thirty-five lines.
Border: The recto and verso are set in gold, green, and red rulings with an inner frame of gold floral and leaf scroll on a blue ground, and an outer frame with landscape, and animal motifs.

Published References
  • Ivan Stchoukine. Les Peintures des Manuscrits de Shah Abbas Ier à la fin des Safavis. Institut français d'archéologie de Beyrouth Paris. pls. LII-LXV.
  • 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. 158, pp. 124-125.
Collection Area(s)
South Asian and Himalayan Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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