Folio from a Shahnama (Book of kings) by Firdawsi (d. 1020); recto: Rustam lifts Afrasiyab from the saddle; verso: text: Pishang's letter to Kay Qubad and his plea for reconciliation

Object Details

• Description

  Detached folio from a dispersed copy of the Shahnama (Book of kings) by Firdawsi; text: Persian in black naskh script; recto: illustration and text, Rustam lifts Afrasiyab from the saddle, 6 columns, and 30 lines; verso: text, Pishang's letter to Kay Qubad and his plea for reconciliation, 6 columns, 30 lines; one of a group of 7 folios. Patron: Qiwam al-Dawla wa'l-Din.

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

• Provenance

  To 1952

  Dikran G. Kelekian, Inc., New York to 1952 [1]

  From 1952

  Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from Dikran G. Kelekian, Inc. in 1952 [2]

  Notes:

  [1] See Freer Gallery or Art Purchase List after 1920, Collections Management Office.

  [2] See note 1.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Engaging the Senses (October 14, 2017 - ongoing)

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

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

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

• Previous custodian or owner

  Dikran G. Kelekian, Inc.

• Origin

  Shiraz, 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

  Dikran G. Kelekian, Inc.

• Place

  Shiraz

• Topic

  Art, Kay Qubad, Rustam, Inju dynasty (1335 - 1357), Arts of the Islamic World, Mongol period (1220 - 1380), Shahnama, Epic literature

• Culture

  Muslims, Iranians, Afrasiyabs

• Language

  Naskh script

• Object Type

  Manuscripts