Gushtasp Slays a Dragon (painting, recto; text, verso), folio from a manuscript of the Shahnama by Firdawsi

ManuscriptsPersian16th-17th century

Gushtasp Slays a Dragon (painting, recto; text, verso), folio from a manuscript of the Shahnama by Firdawsi

late 16th century

Description

Gushtasp was a son of the Iranian king Luhrasp. When his father refused to abdicate in his favor, the impatient young prince left Iran for the capital city of Rum (Constantinople). There the emperor’s eldest daughter fell in love with him despite his guise of a lowly workman; having been promised her choice of a husband, she married him against her father’s wishes. The emperor then decreed that only men of tested valor could marry his two younger daughters. The daughters’ suitors both sought Gushtasp’s help with their assigned feats; secretly taking their places, the prince killed two fearsome monsters. In this image, Gushtasp acts on behalf of Ahran, the suitor of the youngest daughter, in slaying a terrifying dragon. Although his horse turns away in fear, the prince boldly thrusts his dagger into the dragon’s gaping mouth. The craggy landscape, dead tree, and gusting clouds contribute to the ominous atmosphere of the painting.

Classification

Manuscripts

Medium

Ink, opaque watercolor and gold on paper

Culture

Persian

Period

Safavid period

Century

16th-17th century

Division

Asian and Mediterranean Art

Department

Department of Islamic & Later Indian Art

Dimensions

34.4 x 21.5 cm (13 9/16 x 8 7/16 in.)

Provenance

[Hadji Baba Ancient Art, London, 1985], sold; to Stanford and Norma Jean Calderwood, Belmont, MA (1985-2002), gift; to Harvard Art Museums, 2002.

Related Artworks

Text folio (text recto; text verso of folio 67) from a manuscript of Yusuf and Zulaykha by Nizami

Text folio (text recto; text verso of folio 67) from a manuscript of Yusuf and Zulaykha by Nizami

Unknown Artist, 16th century

Ink, colors, and gold on paper

16th centuryPersian

Illustrated Manuscript on Divination

Illustrated Manuscript on Divination

Unknown Artist, 19th century

Two-sided horizontal accordion-fold manuscript; ink and color on paper

19th centuryThai

Seal of Solomon (recto), Seal of the Throne Verse (verso), folio 78 from an An`am-i Sharif

Seal of Solomon (recto), Seal of the Throne Verse (verso), folio 78 from an An`am-i Sharif

Unknown Artist, c. 1790

Ink, opaque watercolor and gold on paper

18th-19th centuryOttoman

Manuscript of the Bustan (Orchard) by Sa`di, written for Sultan `Abd al-`Aziz (1540-50)

Manuscript of the Bustan (Orchard) by Sa`di, written for Sultan `Abd al-`Aziz (1540-50)

Bishndas, 1531-1532 and c. 1620

Cover: leather, stamped and gilt Painting with text: ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper

16th-17th centuryUzbek and Mughal

King Zahhak and Kava the Blacksmith (painting, verso); Faridun asks his Mother about Himself (text, recto), folio from an illustrated manuscript of the Shahnama by Firdawsi

King Zahhak and Kava the Blacksmith (painting, verso); Faridun asks his Mother about Himself (text, recto), folio from an illustrated manuscript of the Shahnama by Firdawsi

Unknown Artist, 17th century

Ink and gold on paper

17th centuryPersian

Two folios of Persian poetry in safina format

Two folios of Persian poetry in safina format

Unknown Artist, c. 1425-1435

Ink, gold, and watercolor on paper.

15th centuryPersian

Bakemono gacho

Horse (painting, recto), Wildcat (painting, verso), folio 86 from Illustrated Manuscript of Tarjama-i Tarikh-i Yangi Dunya (Translation of the History of the New World)

Horse (painting, recto), Wildcat (painting, verso), folio 86 from Illustrated Manuscript of Tarjama-i Tarikh-i Yangi Dunya (Translation of the History of the New World)

Unknown Artist, 1805

Ink, opaque watercolor and gold on paper

19th centuryOttoman

One Leaf from "Buddhist Manuscript: Collection of Dharanis" (Folio )

One Leaf from "Buddhist Manuscript: Collection of Dharanis" (Folio )

Unknown Artist, 1714

Double-sided, detached leaf from an incomplete manuscript; ink, color, and gold on black paper

18th centuryNepalese

Illuminated Manuscript

Illuminated Manuscript

Unknown Artist, 9th-10th century

Paper

9th-10th centuryCoptic

Krishna Subdues the Serpent King Kaliya (painting, recto; text, verso), folio from a Bhagavata Purana series

Krishna Subdues the Serpent King Kaliya (painting, recto; text, verso), folio from a Bhagavata Purana series

Unknown Artist, c. 1520 - 1540

Opaque watercolor on paper

16th centuryIndian

Text folio with an illuminated heading (text recto; text with an illuminated heading verso of folio 182), from a manuscript of the Kulliyat of Sa‘di”.

Text folio with an illuminated heading (text recto; text with an illuminated heading verso of folio 182), from a manuscript of the Kulliyat of Sa‘di”.

Unknown Artist, 16th century

Ink, colors, and gold on paper

16th centuryPersian

Gushtasp Slays a Dragon (painting, recto; text, verso), folio from a manuscript of the Shahnama by Firdawsi | Harvard Art Museums | KenAI