ManuscriptsIndian17th-18th century

Rustam Slays the White Div (text recto; painting verso of folio 83), illustrated folio from a manuscript of the Shahnama by Firdawsi

17th-18th century

Description

This manuscript is the first volume of a two-volume Shahnama by Firdawsi with further Shahnama inspired interpolated texts from the Garshaspnama and the Barzunama. The manuscript has 325 folios and is copied in nastaliq script. There are two illuminated panels at the beginning of the prose and poetry sections of the Shahnama. There are 34 illustrations that appear to have been painted when the manuscript was copied and 26 simple style illustrations that can be dated to a later phase. Overall, based on the style of the illustrations, illumination, and the interpolated texts, the creation of the manuscript can be attributed to the late 17th-early 18th century in Kashmir, the northern region of India under Mughal control. Later in the 19th century, the incomplete manuscript was furnished with simple style illustrations and possibly with a new illuminated panel at the beginning of the text.

Classification

Manuscripts

Medium

Ink , Opaque watercolor and gold on paper

Culture

Indian

Period

Mughal period

Century

17th-18th century

Division

Asian and Mediterranean Art

Department

Department of Islamic & Later Indian Art

Dimensions

mat: 61 x 45.7 cm (24 x 18 in.) 36.8 x 23.5 cm (14 1/2 x 9 1/4 in.)

Provenance

George McFadden, New York, (by 1987-1988), sold; to José M.Soriano, New York, (1988-2014), gift; to the Harvard Art Museums, 2014.

Related Artworks

Manuscripts

Folio 23 from a Fragment of a Qur'an: Sura 9: begin 1-2 (recto), Sura 9: end 2 (verso)

Unknown Artist, 13th century

Ink, opaque watercolor and gold on paper

13th centuryEgyptian

Manuscripts

Manuscript of the Ta'qibat-i Namaz

Unknown Artist, 1817

Ink and gold on paper; velvet binding with leather edges

19th centuryPersian

Manuscripts

Manuscript of Tahrir Uqlidis by Nasir al-Din Tusi

Unknown Artist, 1710

Text; ink and opaque watercolor on paper

Illuminated folio from an unidentified manuscript

Unknown Artist, 16th century

Black ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on beige paper

16th centuryPersian

Manuscripts

Ghazals (recto and verso), folio 3 from a Manuscript of a Divan of Hafiz

Unknown Artist, c. 1527

Ink, opaque watercolor and gold on paper

16th centuryPersian

Manuscripts

One Leaf from "Buddhist Manuscript: Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Verses (Sanskrit: Astasahasrika Prajnaparamita)" (Folio )

Unknown Artist, early 12th century

Double-sided, detached leaf from an incomplete manuscript; ink on palm leaf

12th centuryNepalese

Manuscripts

Illustrated Treatise on Elephants Written in Thai Language and Script

Unknown Artist, early 19th century

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

19th centuryThai

Manuscripts

Shirin looks at the portrait of Khusraw (text recto; painting verso of folio 46), painting from a manuscript of the Khamsa by Nizam

Unknown Artist, 1489

Ink, colors, and gold on paper

15th centuryPersian

Manuscripts

Backing paper from the "Tale of Genji" Album (Genji monogatari gajō): Chapter 46, Beneath the Oak (Shiigamoto)

Unknown Artist, Muromachi period, dated 1516

The forty-sixth of a series of 54 backing sheets mounted in an album; ink and color on paper

16th centuryJapanese

Manuscripts

Buddhist Manuscript: Pancaraksa with Decorated Wooden Sutra Covers

Unknown Artist, late 18th century

Double-sided, detached-leaf manuscript (incomplete) with illustrations and with upper and lower covers; ink, color, and gold on blue paper; covers: wood with polychromy

18th centuryNepalese

Manuscripts

The End of the Battle (painting with text, verso; text, recto of folio 50) illustrated folio from a Manuscript of Layla and Majnun by Hamdi

Unknown Artist, c.1579

Ink, opaque watercolor and gold on paper

16th centuryOttoman