Folio from a Shahnama (Book of kings) by Firdawsi (d. 1020); recto: Kay Ka'us chained in a grotto by the white demon; verso: text, Ka'us sends a letter to Rustam the son of Zal and asks for help

Object Details

• Artist

  Ascribed to Siyavush

• Description

  Detached folio from a dispersed copy of the Shahnama (Book of kings) by Firdawsi; text: Persian in black nasta’liq script; recto: illustration and text: Kay Ka'us chained in a grotto by the white demon, 4 columns, 6 lines of text, marginal writings; verso: text: Ka'us sends a letter to Rustam the son of Zal and asks for help, 4 columns, 22 lines of text.

  Border: The recto is set in gold, black, and blue rulings on cream-colored paper; the verso is set in gold, red, green, and blue rulings on cream-colored paper.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Engaging the Senses (October 14, 2017 - ongoing)

  The Shahnama: 1000 Years of the Persian Book of Kings (October 23, 2010 to April 17, 2011)

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

  Exhibition of Persian painting, Paris, 1912 (1912)

• Origin

  Qazvin, Iran

• Credit Line

  Purchase -- Charles Lang Freer Endowment in appreciation of Mary Wilkie Ebrahimi and her exemplary service to the Galleries as vice chair of the Board of Trustees (2003-2007)

• 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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• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1700s, 1710s, 1720s, 1500s, 1610s, 1600s, 1590s, 1540s, 1650s, 1530s, 1640s, 1520s, 1630s, 1510s, 1620s, 1580s, 1730s, 1690s, 1570s, 1680s, 1560s, 1670s, 1550s, 1660s

• Name

  Siyavush

• Place

  Qazvin

• Topic

  S?afavid dynasty, 1501-1736, Prisoner, Art, Rustam, Demon, Arts of the Islamic World, Kay Kavus, Shahnama

• Culture

  Muslims, Iranians

• Object Type

  Manuscripts