"Bahram Chubina Kills the Lion-Shaped Ape Monster", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings)

ca. 1300–30

Not on view

The lion-shaped ape monster had gulped down the beloved daughter of the Khaqan (khan) of Chin and his queen. They mourned without cease, but the beast was so fearsome that no one had the courage and prowess to kill it. Then the Iranian hero and one-time contender for the throne, Bahram Chubina, came to Chin and the queen prevailed upon him to destroy the monster. Unflinchingly, the hero found and killed it, and all the land rejoiced. Interestingly, the awesome description of the monster given in the epic was ignored by the artist, who pictured it as an oversize tiger—perhaps he could not imagine a more exotic beast. The creature's mountain lair is indicated by the towering shapes, however small, behind it, and the curving tree evokes the menacing wilderness.

Artwork Details

Title: "Bahram Chubina Kills the Lion-Shaped Ape Monster", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings)
Author: Abu'l Qasim Firdausi (Iranian, Paj ca. 940/41–1020 Tus)
Date: ca. 1300–30
Geography: Attributed to Northwestern Iran or Baghdad
Medium: Ink, opaque watercolor, silver, and gold on paper
Dimensions: Text block:
H. 6 5/16 in. (16 cm)
W. 5 in. (12.7 cm)
Painting:
H. 1 15/16 in. (5 cm)
W. 5 1/2 in. (14 cm)
Classification: Codices
Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1969
Object Number: 69.74.2
Curatorial Department: Islamic Art

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"The Murder of Iraj," Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi, Abu'l Qasim Firdausi Iranian, Ink, watercolor, and gold on paper — "The Murder of Iraj," Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi
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Abu'l Qasim Firdausi
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"Zahhak Brought as a Prisoner before Faridun", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings), Abu'l Qasim Firdausi Iranian, Ink, opaque watercolor, gold, and silver on paper — "Zahhak Brought as a Prisoner before Faridun", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings)
Abu'l Qasim Firdausi
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