Folio from a Shahnama (Book of kings) by Firdawsi (died 1020); Anushirvan bestowing largess upon his minister Buzurjmihr

Object Details

• Label

  This folio depicts the Sasanian king Nushirvan, known as Khusraw IV (reigned 531-79), who was renowned for his justice and benevolence. It is one of several illustrations that highlight those character traits. When the able vizier Buzurgmihr interprets some of Nushirvan's troubling dreams, the vizier is rewarded with a series of banquets as well as bags of silver coins visible here.

  The composition originally formed part of the celebrated Ilkhanid or Mongol Shahnama (1443-45), regarded as a landmark in the history of Persian manuscript painting for its size and the pictorial complexity of the illustrations.

• Provenance

  ?-1914

  Georges Demotte, Paris, France, method of acquisition unknown [1]

  By 1941-1942

  Heeramaneck Galleries, New York, method of acquisition unknown [2]

  From 1942

  Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from Heeramaneck Galleries, New York [3]

  Notes:

  [1] See Doris Brian, “A Reconstruction of the Miniature Cycle in the Demotte “Shah Namah,”” “Ars Islamica” vol. 6, pt. 2 (1939): pp. 97, 111, cat. no. 55. Brian includes this folio in the manuscript, and says of its history, “The dispersion during the second decade of this century of the manuscript known as the Demotte “Shah Namah,” for the dealer who first disassembled it and sold the individual pages.” See also Ernst Kuhnel, “History of Miniature Painting and Drawing,” in “A Survey of Persian Art: from Prehistoric Times to the Present,” ed. Arthur Upham Pope and Phyllis Ackerman [book] (London and New York: Oxford University Press, 1938-1939), vol. III p. 1835-1837; vol. V fig. 837.Georges Demotte (1877-1923) was a collector and dealer of Islamic and medieval European art. He had galleries in Paris and New York City. Demotte is known for having owned the intact manuscript of the Shahnama (Book of Kings), but in the early twentieth century he dismantled the manuscript, splitting some of the folios which had illustrations on both sides so that he could sell the two leaves separately. This folio is one of 16 detached folios now in the National Museum of Asian Art collections (F1923.5; F1930.78; F1930.79; F1935.23; F1935.24; F1938.3; S1986.100; S1986.101; S1986.102a-d; S1986.103; S1986.104; S1986.105.1; S1986.105.2; S1986.106; S1986.107.)

  [2] See object file for copy of Freer Gallery of Art vault record indicating the object was delivered to the Freer for examination, by Mr. Nasli M. Heeramaneck of Heeramaneck Galleries, on December 1, 1941. The object is described as “1 Persian painting (Standing fig. & 3 seated figs.).” Nasli M. Heeramaneck (1902-1971) was born in Bombay and became a collector and dealer of Islamic, Central Asian, and Pre-Columbian antiquities. He had eponymous galleries, initially in Paris and then in New York, where he married American painter Alice Arvine (1910-1993). Alice became an active partner in the gallery and their collecting pursuits.

  [3] See object file for copy of Heeramaneck Galleries invoice to the Freer Gallery of Art, dated February 21, 1942, and approved by the Secretary of the Smithsonian on February 17, 1942.

  Research updated September 29, 2023

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

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

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

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

  Art of the Near East (August 21, 1977 to December 14, 1979)

  Near Eastern Art (June 15, 1973 to May 7, 1975)

  2500 Years of Persian Art—Paintings, Metalwork (February 10, 1972 to June 15, 1973)

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

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

  Special Exhibition (February 9, 1954 to April 20, 1954)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Georges Demotte (1877-1923)

  Heeramaneck Galleries (active 1928-1964)

• Origin

  Tabriz, Iran

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Manuscript

• On View

  Sackler 23a: An Epic of Kings: The Great Mongol Shahnama

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1300s

• Name

  Heeramaneck Galleries, Demotte, Georges

• Place

  Tabriz

• Topic

  Art, Buzurjmihr, Arts of the Islamic World, Mongol period (1220 - 1380), Nushirvan, Il-Khanid dynasty (1256 - 1353), Shahnama

• Culture

  Muslims, Iranians

• Language

  Naskh script

• Object Type

  Manuscripts

• On View

  Yes