"Alexander Executes Janusiyar and Mahiyar, the Slayers of Darius", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi
dated A.H. 887/1482 CE
Medium
Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper
Dimensions
H. 8 3/4 (22.2 cm) W. 5 3/8 in. (13.6cm)
Classification
Codices
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Samuel D. Lee Fund, 1940
Accession Number
40.38.1
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite folio from a *Shahnama* (Book of Kings) by the poet Abu'l Qasim Firda captures a dramatic moment: Alexander the Great (known as Iskandar in Persian) executing Janusiyar and Mahiyar, the traitorous slayers of the Persian king Darius III. to 1482 CE (A.H. 887), it hails from the rich tradition of Persian manuscript illumination during the late Timurid period, when such epics were celebrated in royal courts for their heroic tales blending history, legend, and moral lessons. Crafted with ink outlines, vibrant opaque watercolors, and shimmering gold on paper, the miniature exemplifi...
About the Artist
Abu'l Qasim Firdausi · 935–1020
Abu'l Qasim Firdausi, born around 940 in the village of Paj near Tus in Khorasan (modern-day Iran), emerged from a family of landed gentry known as dehqans, who preserved ancient Iranian oral traditions amid the cultural renaissance of the Samanid Empire. Little is documented about his early life or formal training, though he likely received a basic education including Arabic literacy, immersing h...