"Khusrau Catches Sight of Shirin Bathing", Folio 50 from a Khamsa (Quintet) of Nizami of Ganja

Various artists/makers

Not on view

One of the five stories related in Nizami's Khamsa (Five Tales) concerns the love affair between the Iranian king Khusrau and the Armenian princess Shirin. This beautifully-detailed painting captures the moment when Khusrau first catches sight of Shirin, bathing in a stream. While the pond has now tarnished to near black, it was originally painting in shining silver, complementing the golden sky above.

"Khusrau Catches Sight of Shirin Bathing", Folio 50 from a Khamsa (Quintet) of Nizami of Ganja, Nizami (present-day Azerbaijan, Ganja 1141–1209 Ganja), Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper

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.