THE PAINTING SAFAVID SHIRAZ, CIRCA 1550; THE MARGINS MUGHAL INDIA, CIRCA 1610

The illuminated borders and margins into which the painting has been laid is most probably from a manuscript of the combined Shahnama and Garshaspnama made for the Emperor Jahangir circa 1610. Jahangir's patronage of that manuscript is indicated by the very similarly illustrated margins and borders made for the Farhang-i jahangiri commissioned by Jahangir and completed in 1608. The notes written on a diagonal in the blue margin are found in the borders of Jahangir's Shahnama but not in the Farhang-i Jahangiri. A complete folio from that Shahnama was sold in these Rooms, 27 October 2022, lot 98. Illuminated opening folios were sold Sotheby's, London, 25 April 2012, lot 484. A further folio is in the Smithsonian, National Museum of Asian Art, inv. no. S1986.351.