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"Battle between Alexander and Darius", Folio 279 from a Khamsa (Quintet) of Nizami of Ganja

Sultan Muhammad Nur|Nizami

A.H. 931/1524–25 CE

"Battle between Alexander and Darius", Folio 279 from a Khamsa (Quintet) of Nizami of Ganja by Sultan Muhammad Nur|Nizami

Medium

Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper

Dimensions

Painting: H. 7 3/8 in. (18.7 cm) W. 4 13/16 in. (12.2 cm) Page: H. 12 5/8 in. (32.1 cm) W. 8 3/4 in. (22.2 cm) Mat: H. 19 1/4 in. (48.9 cm) W. 14 1/4 in. (36.2 cm)

Classification

Codices

Department

Islamic Art

Museum

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

Credit

Gift of Alexander Smith Cochran, 1913

Accession Number

13.228.7.15

Tags

BattlesMenHorses

Art Historical Context

This vibrant folio, titled *Battle between Alexander and Darius*, comes from Folio 279 of Nizami Ganjavi's *Khamsa* (Quintet), a celebrated collection of five epic poems completed in the 12th century. Created in 1524–25 CE by the master painter Sultan Muhammad Nur during the Safavid dynasty in Persia, it captures a dramatic moment from the *Iskandarnama* (Book of Alexander), depicting the legendary clash between Alexander the Great (Iskandar) and Persian king Darius III. In Islamic tradition, Alexander is revered as a wise prophet-king, blending historical conquest with moral allegory. Render...

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