Folio from a Shahnama (Book of kings) by Firdawsi (d.1020); Darab sleeping in the ruined vault

Object Details

• Description

  Detached folio from a dispersed copy of Shahnama (Book of kings) by Firdawsi; text: Persian in black naskh script; recto: text, 6 columns, 31 lines; verso: illustration and text, Darab sleeping in the ruined vault, 6 columns, 31 lines; one of a group of 16 folios (F1923.5, F1930.79, F1935.23, F1935.24, F1938.3, F1942.2, S1986.100, S1986.101, S1986.102, S1986.103, S1986.104, S1986.105.1, S1986.105.2, S1986.106, S1986.107).

  Border: The painting and the text are set in gold, blue and black rulings on cream-colored paper.

• Label

  Darab, Shah Bahman's son, was cast away in an ark by his mother, Humay, so that she could retain power after Bahman's death. He was raised unaware of his father's royalty by foster parents. One day, while fighting a battle, Darab took refuge in a vault. As Rashnavad, who was leading Humay's army, passed by the vault, a voice cried out that the boy sleeping in the vault was Bahman's son and legitimate heir to his throne.

• Provenance

  To 1930

  Otto Burchard & Co. (C. Edward Wells), to 1930 [1]

  From 1930

  Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from Otto Burchard & Co. 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

  An Epic of Kings: The Great Mongol Shahnama (September 21, 2024 to January 12, 2025)

  Engaging the Senses (October 14, 2017 - ongoing)

  Arts of the Islamic World (May 3, 1998 to January 3, 2016)

  From the Hand of Mani (January 18, 1985 to July 5, 1985)

  Near Eastern Art—Paintings, Metalwork (August 18, 1967 to February 10, 1972)

  Near Eastern Art (January 1, 1963 to August 18, 1967)

  Persian Art (January 1, 1963 to September 3, 1963)

  Centennial Exhibition, Galleries 6 and 7 (February 25, 1956 to April 10, 1962)

  Untitled Exhibition, Islamic Manuscripts, 1955 (April 12, 1955 to December 16, 1955)

  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, Persian Art (March 14, 1931 to May 5, 1933)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Otto Burchard & Co.

• Origin

  Tabriz, 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.

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1300s

• Name

  Da?ra? Shiku?h, Prince, son of Shahjahan, Emperor of India, Otto Burchard & Co.

• Place

  Tabriz

• Topic

  Prince, Art, Sleeping, Arts of the Islamic World, Mongol period (1220 - 1380), Children, Vault, Il-Khanid dynasty (1256 - 1353), Shahnama

• Culture

  Muslims, Iranians

• Language

  Naskh script

• Object Type

  Manuscripts