In the late seventeenth century, the imprint of European painting appears in the style of certain Persian artists such as Muhammad Zaman. Here it can be seen in the use of perspective, the thick-foliaged trees, the shaded hills, and the bellpull in the pavilion. The terrace with its openwork railing and the river with its bank just beyond reflect the influence of painting of Mughal India, where the artist may have resided at one time.
This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.
Open Access
As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.
API
Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.
This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.
13.228.17
13.228.17
13.228.17
Artwork Details
Use your arrow keys to navigate the tabs below, and your tab key to choose an item
Title:Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi
Author:Abu'l Qasim Firdausi (Iranian, Paj ca. 940/41–1020 Tus)
Calligrapher:Bin Shams ad-Din Sheikh Muhammad
Artist:'Ali Naqi ibn Shaikh 'Abbasi: (Iranian)
Artist: Aqa Nuyan
Artist: Ghulam Parmak (Iranian)
Artist: Fadl Ali
Artist: Muhammad Zaman (Iranian, active 1649–1700)
Artist: Mu'in Musavvir (Iranian, active 1630s–90s)
Date:1074–79 AH/1663–69 CE
Geography:Attributed to Iran, probably Isfahan
Medium:Opaque watercolor, ink, silver and gold on paper
Dimensions:H. 18 1/8 in. (46 cm) W. 11 7/16 in. (29 cm) D. 2 3/4 in. (7 cm)
Classification:Codices
Credit Line:Gift of Alexander Smith Cochran, 1913
Object Number:13.228.17
Signature: Fadl 'Ali: The signature of this artist appears on the following folios: 106r, 116r, 129v, 162r, 170v, 184r, 193v, 203r, 214r, 244v, 278r, 292v, 299r, 331v, 347r, 354r, 422r (dated 1140 for 1104/1692).
Mu'in Musavvir:The name of this well-known artist is inscribed on the following folios: 116r, 162r, 170v, 176v, 184r, 193v, 203r, 214r, 230r (dated 1104/1693), 244v (dated 1104/1693), 278r, 282r (dated 1104/1693), 292r, 299r and 422r. The inscription 'Mu'in Musavvir' almost always appears below the miniature (an exception is 278r where his name is found on a tambourine), as well as on illustrations also bearing the signature of Fadl 'Ali (the exceptions are 23r and 282r, on which only Mu'in's name appears).
'Ali Naqi ibn Shaikh 'Abbasi:The signature of this artist is found on the following three illustrations: 'Faridun Laments as the Head of Iraj is Brought before Him' (fol. 24v), 'Siyavush Displays his Skill before Afrasiyab' (fol. 100r) and 'Siyavush and Farangis Wed' (102r). These illustrations are dated 1014, which has been read by Jackson and Yohannan and Robinson as 1104.
Ghulam Parmak (or Pir Beg): His signature is inscribed between columns of text on 'Zal Displays his Prowess before King Manuchihr' (fol. 43v) along with the date 1019. Jackson and Yohannan have read the name as Ghulam Parmak, while Robinson suggested Pir Beg. Robinson read 1019 as 1109/1698.
An artist signing with the epithet 'O Lord of our Time' (Ya Sahib al-Zaman): Three illustrations (fols. 73v, 110v, 151v) found in the manuscript are signed with this epithet. Robinson records 110v as being dated 1107/1696; Jackson and Yohannan, on the other hand, do not mention a date.
Inscription: There are a number of seals and inscriptions that provide information on the history of this manuscript, see Jackson and Yohannan, 1914, pp. 30–32.
Muhammad Hashim bin Husain al-Husaini, Iran(from 1835); Aqa Nur Muhammad Husain, Tabriz, Iran(until 1894; sold to Nizam); Amir Nizam, Tabriz, Iran(from 1894); Alexander Smith Cochran, Yonkers, NY (until 1913; gifted to MMA)
Zurich. Museum Rietberg. "Gardens of the World," May 13, 2016–October 9, 2016, no. 34.
Jackson, A. V. Williams, and A. Yohannan. Catalogue of the Collection of Persian Manuscripts, Including also some Turkish and Arabic, Presented to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York by Alexander Smith Cochran. Columbia University Indo Iranian Series, vol. 1. New York: Columbia University Press, 1912. no. 4, pp. 28–38, ill. fol. 24b (b/w).
Valentiner, William Reinhold. "The Cochran Collection of Persian Manuscripts." Museum of Metropolitan Art Bulletin, old series, vol. 8 (1913). pp. 80–86.
Dimand, Maurice S., ed. "Dated Specimens of Mohammedan Art in the Metropolitan Museum of Art." MMA Studies 1, pt. 2 (1929). no. 19, p. 231, ill. fig. 18, folio 331b.
Stchoukine, Ivan. Les Peintures des Manuscrits de Shah Abbas Ier à la Fin des Safavis. Bibliotheque Archeologique et Historique, Vol. tome LXXVI. Paris: Librairie Orientaliste Paul Geuthner, 1964.
Robinson, Basil William. "Drawings of the Masters." In Persian Drawings from the 14th through the 19th century. Boston and Toronto: Shorewood Publishers Inc., 1965. pp. 97, 137, ill. pl. 65 (b/w), folio 331b.
Robinson, Basil William. "The Shahnameh Manuscript Cochran 4 in The Metropolitan Museum of Art." Islamic Art in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (1972). pp. 73–86, ill.
Swietochowski, Marie. "The Historical Background and Illustrative Character of the Metropolitan Museum's Mantiq al-Tayr of 1483." In Islamic Art in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, edited by Richard Ettinghausen. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1972. pp. 73–86, ill. figs. 1–24 (b/w).
Swietochowski, Marie, and Richard Ettinghausen. "Islamic Painting." Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, n.s., vol. 36, no. 2 (Autumn 1978). p. 31, ill. p. 31 (color), folio 110v.
Sims, Eleanor, B. Marshak, and Ernst J. Grube. "Persian Painting and its Sources." In Peerless Images. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2002. no. 100, p. 187, ill. (color), fol. 110v.
O'Kane, Bernard, ed. "Studies in Honour of Robert Hillenbrand." In The Iconography of Islamic Art:. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2005. ill. fig. 15.8 (b/w), folio 151b Rustam Leading the Persian Army by Muhammad Zaman.
Lutz, Albert, ed. "Orte der Sehnsucht und Inspiration." In Gärten der Welt. Zürich: Museum Rietberg, 2016. no. 34, pp. 76–77, 301, ill. p. 76 (color).
Abu'l Qasim Firdausi (Iranian, Paj ca. 940/41–1020 Tus)
last quarter 15th century
Resources for Research
The Met's Libraries and Research Centers provide unparalleled resources for research and welcome an international community of students and scholars.
The Met Collection API is where all makers, creators, researchers, and dreamers can connect to the most up-to-date data and public domain images for The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.
The Met's collection of Islamic art is one of the most comprehensive in the world and ranges in date from the seventh to the twenty-first century. Its more than 15,000 objects reflect the great diversity and range of the cultural traditions from Spain to Indonesia.
