Folio from the Shahnama of Shah Tahmasp

The Shahnama, the national epos of Iran composed by the poet Abu'l Qasim Firdausi at the turn of the 5th century AH/early 11th century CE for the Ghaznavid ruler Mahmud of Ghazni enjoyed great popularity among rulers across the Islamic world and it has been extensively copied and illustrated from the Ilkhanid period onwards. A staple book in the libraries of Islamic rulers, the Shahnama provided guidance for princes through exemplary tales of kings and heroes of Iran and functioned as a powerful means of political propaganda for centuries. This beautiful illustrated folio once belonged to the so-called Shahnama of Shah Tahmasp, probably the most luxurious and celebrated Shahnama manuscript ever produced for a royal patron. This painting depicts the Iranian hero Faridun as he crosses the river Tigris with his army to march against the evil tyrant Zahhak, who ruthlessly rules over Iran. The water was originally painted in silver, now fully oxidized. The final effect of this page must have been stunning due to the interplay between the bright, flat colours and the warm shine of the silver paint and the golden flakes applied on the margins.

The Shahnama of Shah Tahmasp was begun most probably under Shah Isma'il I (the founder of the Safavid dynasty) and completed under his successor, Shah Tahmasp. It thus required a few decades to be completed and the manpower of the entire royal workshop of Tabriz. The full manuscript counted of 759 folios of text written in flawless nasta'liq, accompanied by 258 paintings made by the most famous artists of their time. Shortly after its completion, the manuscript was sent to Istanbul as an official gift for the accession ceremony of the Ottoman Sultan Selim II (r. 973-981 AH/1566-1574 CE). Today, the surviving folios and illustrations are scattered among several museums, cultural institutions, and private collections worldwide.