Folio from a Shahnama (Book of kings) by Firdawsi (d. 1020); Faridun mourns Iraj

Object Details

• Description

  Detached folio from a dispersed copy of Shahnama (Book of kings) by Firdawsi; text: Persian in black naskh script, heading in gold naskh outlined in black; recto: Faridun goes to Iraj's palace and mourns for him, unrelated text, six columns, 31 lines; verso unrelated text, six columns, 31 lines; one of a group of 16 folios (F1923.5, F1930.78, 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 recto and verso are set in gold, black and blue rulings on cream-colored paper.

• Provenance

  To 1913

  Georges Demotte (1877-1923), Paris, France. [1]

  From 1913 to 1942

  Henri Vever (1854-1942), Paris and Noyers, France, purchased from Georges Demotte, Paris, France on July 23, 1913. [2]

  From 1942 to 1986

  Family member, Paris and Boulogne, France, by inheritance from Henri Vever, Paris and Noyers, France. [3]

  From 1986

  Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, purchased from a family member, Paris and Boulogne, France. [4]

  Notes:

  [1] See Susan Nemazee, "Appendix 7: Chart of Recent Provenance" in An Annotated and Illustrated Checklist of the Vever Collection, Glenn D. Lowry et al (Washington, DC: Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; Seattle and London: University of Washington Press, 1988), p. 401. See also Glen D. Lowry and Susan Nemazee, "Appendix 2: Ledger of Acquisitions, 1894 and 1907-17" in A Jeweler’s Eye: Islamic Arts of the Book from the Vever Collection (Washington, DC: Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; Seattle and London: University of Washington Press, 1988), p. 234.

  [2] See note 1.

  [3] See the Agreement for the Purchase and Sale of the Henri Vever Collection of January 9, 1986, Collections Management Office.

  [4] See note 3.

• Collection

  Arthur M. Sackler Collection

• Exhibition History

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

  The Art of Painting a Story: Narrative Images from Iran (December 22, 1991 to May 10, 1992)

  A Jeweler's Eye: Islamic Arts of the Book from the Vever Collection (November 20, 1988 to April 30, 1989)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Henri Vever (1854-1942)

  Georges Demotte (1877-1923)

  Francois Mautin (1907-2003)

• Origin

  Tabriz, Iran

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Smithsonian Unrestricted Trust Funds, Smithsonian Collections Acquisition Program, and Dr. Arthur M. Sackler

• Type

  Manuscript

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1300s

• Name

  Mautin, Francois Albert, Demotte, Georges, Vever, Henri

• Place

  Tabriz

• Topic

  Cats, Art, Palace, Gardens, Iraj, Animals, Henri Vever collection, Arts of the Islamic World, Death, Faridun, Il-Khanid dynasty (1256 - 1353), Shahnama, Epic literature

• Culture

  Muslims, Iranians

• Language

  Naskh script

• Object Type

  Manuscripts