Shahnama Project : Shahnama

Firdausi

Shahnama Project

<p style='text-align: justify;'><p>Formerly Ethé 867. Binding is modern red half-morocco. Illuminated headings are found on ff. 2v (Baysunghuri prose preface), 13v (start of poem) and 344v (start of the reign of Luhrasp, in vol. 2, ms. 742), all of high quality Shiraz style of late 16th c. Section headings are also illuminated.The preface contains the full text of the satire on Sultan Mahmud, from f. 9v. The colophon gives the name of the calligrapher, but no date.The ms. contains 15 miniatures, 10 in volume 1 and 5 in volume 2 (I.O. Islamic 742), and are extremely impressive examples of Shiraz work of the early Safavid period. Unfortunately, they have been subjected to crude Indian repainting and poor restoration. In addition, four miniatures were removed and the catchwords adjusted, between ff. 457-8 (Iskandar and the Fur of Hind), 501-2 (Bahram Gur fights the rhinoceros), 595-6 (Bahram Chubina fights Sava Shah) and 643-4 (just before Khusrau imprisons Shiruy).Robinson has identified the work of two painters, of which "Painter B" is responsible for the most original and monumental pictures.BibliographyH. Ethé, Persian manuscripts in the India Office, vol. 1, London, 1903, p. 550 (no. 867)B.W. Robinson, Persian paintings in the India Office library, London, 1976, pp. 116-24 (with references).</p></p>