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.
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.
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