<p style='text-align: justify;'><p>The manuscript was refurbished in Abd al-Rahim Khan-i-Khannan's studio. As it lacks a colophon, it is hard to determine the date of the original manuscript prior to the addition of the sub-imperial Mughal illustrations.</p><p>However, some folios suggest the existence of another layer beneath the Mughal paintings - as some of the outlines of the earlier compositions are visible on the reverse. Original compositions are visible on the reverse of folios, 156v, 211v, and 338v.</p><p>Moreover, in addition to the overpainted folios, thirty-five blank folios were also incorporated into the manuscript and were subsequently illustrated. These include folios, 12v, 42v, 65v, 75v, 78v, 84v, 107v, 139v, 147v, 154v, 197v, 200v, 269v, 277v, 304v, 310v, 343v, 344v, 372r, 385v, 387v, 404v, 408v, 411v, 477v, 483v, 488v, 538v, 548r, 551v, 555v, 562v, 573v, 578v. Most of these illustrations appear towards the end of the manuscript.</p><p>Folio 274r of this manuscript is inscribed with the name of the artist Shamal and a date 1025/ 1616.</p><p>The flyleaf bears the seal of Abd al-'Azim Khan 1168 (1754-55).</p><p>A note on folio 2r reads 'The late lord Jahangir Padshah had given this Shahnama to the least of his slaves, Ilahwardi Cela, on the first of the month of Azar Ilahi in the year 8 (23 November 1613). Since it belonged to me, I passed it on to [my] dear brother, Khwaja Muhammad Rashid.'</p><p>References</p><p>Jeremiah P. Losty, The Art of the Book in India, British Library, London, 1982, pp. 122-3.</p><p>John Seyller, "Workshop and Patron in Mughal India: The Freer Ramayana and Other Illustrated Manuscripts of 'Abd al-Rahim", Artibus Asiae, Supplementum XLII [42], Zurich, 1999, pp. 263-73.</p><p>(Adeela Qureshi)</p><p>Link to the digitised manuscript: https://www.bl.uk/manuscripts/Viewer.aspx?ref=add_ms_5600_fs001r</p></p>
