Rustam slaying the white elephant with a single blow, from a Shahnama (Book of kings) by Firdawsi

Object Details

• Description

  Detached folio from a dispersed copy of Shahnama (Book of kings) by Firdawsi; text: Persian in black naskh script, heading in gold naskh outlined in black; recto: Rustam slaying the white elephant with a single blow, 6 columns, 31 lines; verso: text, Rustam going to Mount Sipand, Rustam writing a letter announcing his victory to Zal, Zal's answer to the letter, 6 columns, 31 lines; one of a group of 41: the manuscript (F1930.1) and 40 detached folios (F1929.25-34, F1929.36-46, F1930.2-17 and F1940.12-13) are accessioned separately.

  Border: The recto and verso are set in red rulings on cream-colored paper.

• Provenance

  To 1929

  Hagop Kevorkian (1872-1962), New York to 1929 [1]

  From 1929

  Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from Hagop Kevorkian, New York in 1929 [2]

  Notes:

  [1] Object file (F1929.25a-b), undated folder sheet note. See also Freer Gallery of Art Purchase List file, Collections Management Office.

  [2] See note 1.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Engaging the Senses (October 14, 2017 - ongoing)

  Untitled Exhibition, Islamic Manuscripts, 1947 (October 6, 1947 to February 25, 1956)

  Untitled Exhibition, Persian Manuscripts (May 5, 1933 to September 22, 1947)

  Untitled Exhibition, Shahnama and Chinese Art (March 24, 1930 to May 5, 1933)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Hagop Kevorkian (1872-1962)

• Origin

  Iran

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Manuscript

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1300s

• Name

  Kevorkian, Hagop

• Topic

  Art, Animals, Rustam, Arts of the Islamic World, Mongol period (1220 - 1380), Elephants, Shahnama, Epic literature

• Culture

  Muslims, Iranians

• Object Type

  Manuscripts