SAFAVID SHIRAZ, IRAN, SECOND HALF 16TH CENTURY

This illustration comes from the tale of Khusraw wa Shirin, a fictional epic poem based on historical romance between the Sasanian King Khusraw II and an Armenian princess, Shirin, who would become queen of Persia. In this scene, a lion has invaded the camp of the main protagonists in the middle of the night and has already claimed a victim. The King rushes from his tent to tackle the wild beast with his hands, having no time to grab a weapon let alone change from his night clothes! A youth has shinned up a tree to the right whilst the ladies of the encampment look on in disbelief. It is likely that the lady at the forefront of the group, finger raised to her mouth in astonishment, is Shirin in a luxurious red coat.
This is a fine example of Shirazi painting of the period. The scene is deeply regal in feeling, with Khusraw’s tent a luxurious affair of stunning Chinese-influenced design. Equally, we see the influence of Chinese artwork in the red awning above Khusraw, with paired flying ducks amongst Chinese clouds (tai). Khusraw's light overshirt is worn over pyjama trousers of fine quality, whilst a group of gold objects – upturned in the commotion – further heighten the luxurious feel of this work. The present lot also excellently demonstrates the greater confidence of Safavid artists by this time by expanding their work into the outer margin. Giving a great sense of immediacy to the scene, the lion and its victim, along with the foliage of the tree, spill across the rules highlighting the somewhat idiosyncratic notion of pictorial space of the period.