.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
This Shahnameh was produced for an Uzbek patron. The name on the seal on the opening flyleaf is Shah Beg ibn Mirza Beg Ataliq, as yet unidentified. The style of the miniatures is close to Qazwin, but the very strong colours and style of some of the headdresses suggest Herat. The miniatures are the work of three or more artists, and some of the subjects chosen for inclusion are unusual. A close comparisom can be made with a near contemporary Shahnameh dated around 1576-7, (Robinson, B.W.: Persian and Mughal Art, Colnaghi exhibition catalogue, London, 1976, pp. 32-47).
The library note may be Mughal, because of the way a Persian month is used and the style of writing, and may have belonged to the Emperor Jahangir. The name of the seal bearer is Rashid Khan, but there is no record of an official with this name at the court of Jahangir.
The miniatures are as follows:
f.3a Firdawsi in the presence of Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni with three courtiers
f.13a The captive usurper Zahhak before Faridun
f.19b Iraj being murdered by Salm and Tur
f.45a Rustam killing the white elephant
f.46a Rustam capturing the white fortress
f.49b Qubad being killed by Barman
f.52b Afrasiyab about to behead Naudar
f.55b Rustam catching Rakhsh
f.57a Rustam spearing Qulum in battle
f.63b Rustam and Rakhsh fighting the dragon
f.64a Rustam lassoing the witchwoman
f.65a Rustam lassoing Ulad
f.65b Rustam tearing the head off the demon Arzhang
f.66b Rustam killing the White Div
f.83a Suhrab in single combat with Hajjir
f.92b Rustam bewailing his own son Suhrab
f.101b Fire-ordeal of Siyawush
f.122a Siyawush captured by the Turanians in battle
f.123b Siyawush being slayed by Gurwi
f.127b Combat of Faramurz and Warazad
f.128b Execution of Surkha by Rustam
f.129b Rustam spearing Pilsam in battle
f.134b Giw defeating the Turanians single-handed, Kay Khusrau and his mother in the background
f.136b Piran led captive by Giw
f.140a The Persian attack on the demon fortress of Bahman
f.149a Riwniz shot by Farud
f.149b Zarasp shot by Farud
f.152a Jarira mourning her son Farud
f.152b Mourning around the coffin of Farud
f.153b Victory of Bizhan over Balashan
f.157b Battle of the Iranians and Turanians
f.160a Bahram slain by Tazhaw
f.176b Rustam and Ashkabus in battle
f.185b Rustam lassoing the Khaqan of Chin
f.208b Rescue of Bizhan
f.233a Piran slain by Gudarz
f.236a Luhhak and Farshidward slain by Gustaham
f.246b Shida, son of Afrasiyab, slain by Kay Khusrau
f.265b Afrasiyab beheaded by Kay Khusrau
f.272b Gushtasp and the dragon
f.292a Gurgsar captured by Isfandiyar
f.294a Isfandiyar killing rhinoceros
f.294b Isfandiyar killing the lions
f.294b Isfandiyar killing the dragon
f.296b Isfandiyar killing the witchwoman
f.297a Isfandiyar killing the Simurgh
f.299a Gurgsar slain by Isfandiyar
f.302b Isfandiyar feasting with Arjasp in a landscape
f.318a Isfandiyar shot through the eyes by Rustam
f.323b The dying Rustam shoots his brother
f.353b Mahyar and Janusyar executed by Iskandar
f.342a Iskandar killing Fur, King of India
f.350b Iskandar encounters Ilyas and Khizr at the well of life
f.361a Ardawan brought captive before Ardashir
f.364b Haftwad and his son executed by Ardashir
f.380a Caesar captured by Shapur
f.386a Bahram Gur hunting with Azada
f.388a Yazdagird killed by the magic horse
f.391b Bahram Gur enthroned
f.402a Bahram Gur hunting the lion
f.404a Bahram Gur hunting the dragon
f.412a Bahram Gur killing a rhinoceros in India
f.424b Execution of Mazdak by Nushirwan
f.478b Sawashah killed by Bahram Chubina
f.489b Murder of A'in Gashasp
f.496b King Hurmuz blinded about to be killed by Gustaham and Bandwi f.508b Battle between Bahram Chubina and the combined armies of
Khusrau and Caesar
f.511b Bahram Chubina drinking in a a landscape approached by the old woman
f.516a Bahram Chubina killing a dragon in the mountains of China
f.519b Murder of Bahram Chubina
f.522b Gurdiya, sister of Bahram Chubina displaying her prowess in
battle
f.524b Murder of Gustaham, uncle of Khusrau Parviz
f.534b Mihr Hurmuzd murdering the sleeping Khusrau
f.535b Aradashir III slain by Piruz son of Khusrau
f.556b Farayin overthrown by Shahranguraz
f.560a Execution of Mahwi of Sur
The library note may be Mughal, because of the way a Persian month is used and the style of writing, and may have belonged to the Emperor Jahangir. The name of the seal bearer is Rashid Khan, but there is no record of an official with this name at the court of Jahangir.
The miniatures are as follows:
f.3a Firdawsi in the presence of Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni with three courtiers
f.13a The captive usurper Zahhak before Faridun
f.19b Iraj being murdered by Salm and Tur
f.45a Rustam killing the white elephant
f.46a Rustam capturing the white fortress
f.49b Qubad being killed by Barman
f.52b Afrasiyab about to behead Naudar
f.55b Rustam catching Rakhsh
f.57a Rustam spearing Qulum in battle
f.63b Rustam and Rakhsh fighting the dragon
f.64a Rustam lassoing the witchwoman
f.65a Rustam lassoing Ulad
f.65b Rustam tearing the head off the demon Arzhang
f.66b Rustam killing the White Div
f.83a Suhrab in single combat with Hajjir
f.92b Rustam bewailing his own son Suhrab
f.101b Fire-ordeal of Siyawush
f.122a Siyawush captured by the Turanians in battle
f.123b Siyawush being slayed by Gurwi
f.127b Combat of Faramurz and Warazad
f.128b Execution of Surkha by Rustam
f.129b Rustam spearing Pilsam in battle
f.134b Giw defeating the Turanians single-handed, Kay Khusrau and his mother in the background
f.136b Piran led captive by Giw
f.140a The Persian attack on the demon fortress of Bahman
f.149a Riwniz shot by Farud
f.149b Zarasp shot by Farud
f.152a Jarira mourning her son Farud
f.152b Mourning around the coffin of Farud
f.153b Victory of Bizhan over Balashan
f.157b Battle of the Iranians and Turanians
f.160a Bahram slain by Tazhaw
f.176b Rustam and Ashkabus in battle
f.185b Rustam lassoing the Khaqan of Chin
f.208b Rescue of Bizhan
f.233a Piran slain by Gudarz
f.236a Luhhak and Farshidward slain by Gustaham
f.246b Shida, son of Afrasiyab, slain by Kay Khusrau
f.265b Afrasiyab beheaded by Kay Khusrau
f.272b Gushtasp and the dragon
f.292a Gurgsar captured by Isfandiyar
f.294a Isfandiyar killing rhinoceros
f.294b Isfandiyar killing the lions
f.294b Isfandiyar killing the dragon
f.296b Isfandiyar killing the witchwoman
f.297a Isfandiyar killing the Simurgh
f.299a Gurgsar slain by Isfandiyar
f.302b Isfandiyar feasting with Arjasp in a landscape
f.318a Isfandiyar shot through the eyes by Rustam
f.323b The dying Rustam shoots his brother
f.353b Mahyar and Janusyar executed by Iskandar
f.342a Iskandar killing Fur, King of India
f.350b Iskandar encounters Ilyas and Khizr at the well of life
f.361a Ardawan brought captive before Ardashir
f.364b Haftwad and his son executed by Ardashir
f.380a Caesar captured by Shapur
f.386a Bahram Gur hunting with Azada
f.388a Yazdagird killed by the magic horse
f.391b Bahram Gur enthroned
f.402a Bahram Gur hunting the lion
f.404a Bahram Gur hunting the dragon
f.412a Bahram Gur killing a rhinoceros in India
f.424b Execution of Mazdak by Nushirwan
f.478b Sawashah killed by Bahram Chubina
f.489b Murder of A'in Gashasp
f.496b King Hurmuz blinded about to be killed by Gustaham and Bandwi f.508b Battle between Bahram Chubina and the combined armies of
Khusrau and Caesar
f.511b Bahram Chubina drinking in a a landscape approached by the old woman
f.516a Bahram Chubina killing a dragon in the mountains of China
f.519b Murder of Bahram Chubina
f.522b Gurdiya, sister of Bahram Chubina displaying her prowess in
battle
f.524b Murder of Gustaham, uncle of Khusrau Parviz
f.534b Mihr Hurmuzd murdering the sleeping Khusrau
f.535b Aradashir III slain by Piruz son of Khusrau
f.556b Farayin overthrown by Shahranguraz
f.560a Execution of Mahwi of Sur