Description
Begun at the end of the reign of Shah Ismail (reigned 1501–24), first king of the Safavid dynasty of Iran, this copy of the Shah-nama (Book of Kings) was completed during the reign of his son Shah Tahmasp. Unparalleled in scope and refinement, the book included 259 paintings by master artists in the royal workshop. Two calligraphers copied the text in an elegant, flowing nasta‘liq script. In 1568, Shah Tahmasp gave this book as a gift to the Ottoman sultan Selim II of Turkey.
Provenance
Shah Tahmasp شاه تهماسب یکم [1514–1576], Iran, given to Ottoman Sultan Selim II (1520s–1567); Ottoman Sultan Selim II [1524–1574], Istanbul, Ottoman Empire (1567–?); Topkapı Palace library, Istanbul, Ottoman Empire (until early 1900s); Baron Edmond de Rothschild [1845–1934], Boulogne-Billancourt, France (early 1900s–?); Arthur A. Houghton, Jr. [1906–1990] (?–October 14, 1988); (Christie's, London, UK, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art) (October 14, 1988); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (1988–)
Accession Number
1988.96.b
Medium
Gum tempera, ink, gold, and silver on paper
Dimensions
Sheet: 47.5 x 32.2 cm (18 11/16 x 12 11/16 in.); Text area: 28.4 x 18.5 cm (11 3/16 x 7 5/16 in.)
Classification
Manuscript
Credit Line
Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund
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Bahram Gur and Azada, from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi (940-1019 or 1025)
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Meta-Discourse on the Teachings from the Treasury (Abidharmakosha-Bhashya)
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