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Lot Essay
The delicate pastel colours which form the backgrounds of the paintings in this manuscript, and which contrast with the bolder pigments used for the figures, echoes the palette used by the celebrated Safavid artist Mu’in Musavir. Mu’in was a follower of Reza ‘Abbasi who was active from circa 1635 to 1697. The illustrations in this manuscript were probably painted by a student or follower of Mu’in. Another copy of the Khamsa of Nizami in the Matenadaran Collection in Yerevan, dated 23rd February 1677, has illustrations with a closely related colour palette and similar freely interpreted outlines and lyrical figures (inv.548; Armen Tokatlian, Persian Treasures in Erevan: A Selection of Manuscripts from the Matenadaran Collection, Belgium, 2013, p.83). A related illustrated manuscript with fewer illustrations attributed to the school of Mu’in Musavir was sold in these Rooms, 10 April 2014, lot 13.
The paintings in this manuscript include:
From the Makhzan al-Asrar:
1. The unjust king and the truthful wise man
From Khusraw wa Shirin:
2. Shirin inspects Khusraw's portrait
3. Khusraw and Shirin meet out hunting
4. Khusraw and his companions discuss the fate of Farhad
5. Khusraw before Shirin's palace
6. Shirin falls at Khusraw's feet
7. Khusraw and Shirin's nuptials
From Layla wa Majnun:
8. Majnun and his father at the Ka'aba
9. Layla and Companions in the Palm tree grove
10. Majnun in the desert with the wild animals
11. The old man revives Majnun
From the Haft Paykar:
12. Bahram Gur fights a dragon
13. Bahram Gur wrestles the crown from between two lions
14. Bahram Gur hunting with Fitna
15. Bahram Gur entertained by the Indian princess in the Black Pavilion
16. Bahram Gur entertained by the Arab Princess in the Yellow Pavilion
17. Bahram Gur entertained by the Princess of Khwarazm in the Blue Pavilion
18. Mahan encounters Khizr
19. Bahram Gur entertained by the Chinese princess in the Sandalwood Pavilion
20. Bahram Gur entertained by the Greek princess in the White pavilion
From the Sharafnama:
21. Iskandar and the dying Dara
22. Iskandar and the Chinese slave-girl
From the Iqbalnama:
23. Iskandar hears a voice from God
24. Iskandar in the enchanted garden
The paintings in this manuscript include:
From the Makhzan al-Asrar:
1. The unjust king and the truthful wise man
From Khusraw wa Shirin:
2. Shirin inspects Khusraw's portrait
3. Khusraw and Shirin meet out hunting
4. Khusraw and his companions discuss the fate of Farhad
5. Khusraw before Shirin's palace
6. Shirin falls at Khusraw's feet
7. Khusraw and Shirin's nuptials
From Layla wa Majnun:
8. Majnun and his father at the Ka'aba
9. Layla and Companions in the Palm tree grove
10. Majnun in the desert with the wild animals
11. The old man revives Majnun
From the Haft Paykar:
12. Bahram Gur fights a dragon
13. Bahram Gur wrestles the crown from between two lions
14. Bahram Gur hunting with Fitna
15. Bahram Gur entertained by the Indian princess in the Black Pavilion
16. Bahram Gur entertained by the Arab Princess in the Yellow Pavilion
17. Bahram Gur entertained by the Princess of Khwarazm in the Blue Pavilion
18. Mahan encounters Khizr
19. Bahram Gur entertained by the Chinese princess in the Sandalwood Pavilion
20. Bahram Gur entertained by the Greek princess in the White pavilion
From the Sharafnama:
21. Iskandar and the dying Dara
22. Iskandar and the Chinese slave-girl
From the Iqbalnama:
23. Iskandar hears a voice from God
24. Iskandar in the enchanted garden