Folio from a Shahnama (Book of kings) by Firdawsi (d. 1020); recto: obliterated inscription; verso: Solomon enthroned, right-hand half of a double-page frontispiece

Object Details

• Description

  Folio from a dispersed copy of the Shahnama (Book of kings) by Firdawsi; recto: blank, obliterated inscription; verso: right-hand half of a double-page frontispiece, facing folio (S1986.196.2), Solomon enthroned; one of a group of twenty-five folios.

  Border: The painting is set in gold and blue inner frame and an illuminated outer frame.

• Provenance

  To 1910

  Reza Khan Monif, Paris, France. [1]

  From 1910 to 1942

  Henri Vever (1854-1942), Paris and Noyers, France, purchased from Reza Khan Monif, Paris, France on August 2, 1910. [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. 405. 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. 230.

  [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

  Beauty and Belief: Crossing Bridges with the Arts of Islamic Culture (February 24, 2012 to January 13, 2013)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Henri Vever (1854-1942)

  Reiza Khan Monif (1850/1851-1923)

  Francois Mautin (1907-2003)

• Origin

  Shiraz, 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

  There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

  The information presented on this website may be revised and updated at any time as ongoing research progresses or as otherwise warranted. Pending any such revisions and updates, information on this site may be incomplete or inaccurate or may contain typographical errors. Neither the Smithsonian nor its regents, officers, employees, or agents make any representations about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of the information on the site. Use this site and the information provided on it subject to your own judgment. The National Museum of Asian Art welcomes information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.

Keep Exploring

• 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

  Mautin, Francois Albert, Solomon, King of Israel, Monif, Reiza Khan, Vever, Henri

• Place

  Shiraz

• Topic

  S?afavid dynasty, 1501-1736, Frontispiece, Art, Animals, Henri Vever collection, Demon, Arts of the Islamic World, Illumination, Angels, Shahnama

• Culture

  Muslims, Iranians

• Object Type

  Manuscripts