Khusraw Parviz before Shirin, from a Shahnama (Book of kings) by Firdawsi

Detail of a pattern
Image 1 of 2
Download Image IIIF

Terms of Use

Usage Conditions Apply

At A Glance

  • Period

    early 14th century
  • Geography

    Iran
  • Material

    Ink, opaque watercolor, gold and silver on paper
  • Dimension

    H x W: 9.3 x 14.4 cm (3 11/16 x 5 11/16 in)
  • Accession Number

    F1930.17
  • EDAN ID

    edanmdm:fsg_F1930.17

Object Details

  • Description

    Detached folio from a dispersed copy of the Shahnama (Book of kings) by Firdawsi; text: Persian in black naskh script, heading in gold naskh outlined in black; recto: Khusraw answers Caesar’s letter, The story of Khusraw Parviz and Shirin, 6 columns, 31 lines; verso: Khusraw Parviz before Shirin, 6 columns, 31 lines; one of a group of 39: the manuscript (F1930.1) and 38 detached folios (F1929.25-46, F1930.1-16, F1940.12, F1940.13) are accessioned separately.
    Border: The recto and verso are set in red rulings on cream-colored paper.
  • Provenance

    To 1930
    Hagop Kevorkian (1872-1962), New York to 1930 [1]
    From 1930
    Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from Hagop Kevorkian, New York in 1930 [2]
    Notes:
    [1] Object file, 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

    Near Eastern Art—Paintings, Metalwork (August 18, 1967 to February 10, 1972)
    Near Eastern Art (January 1, 1963 to August 18, 1967)
    Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Art, 1944 (November 15, 1944 to May 6, 1946)
    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

    There are restrictions for re-using this media. 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 National Museum of Asian Art welcomes information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.

Keep Exploring