"Firdausi's Parable of the Ship of Shi'ism", Folio 18v from the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp
ca. 1530–35
Medium
Opaque watercolor, ink, silver, and gold on paper
Dimensions
Painting: H. 12 1/2 in. (31.7 cm) W. 8 15/16 in. (22.7 cm) Page: H. 18 1/2 in. (47 cm) W.12 1/2 in. (31.8 cm) Mat: H. 22 in. (55.9 cm) W. 16 in. (40.6 cm)
Classification
Codices
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Arthur A. Houghton Jr., 1970
Accession Number
1970.301.1
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step aboard the luminous world of Safavid Persia with *Firdausi's Par of the Ship of Shi'ism*, Folio 18v from the magnificent *Shahnama (Book of Kings)* commissioned by Shah Tahmasp 1530–35. This epic poem by Abu'l Qasim Firda recounts Iran's mythical kings and heroes, but this folio, painted by the master artist Mirza 'Ali, in a poignant Shi'ite allegory. The "Ship of Shi'ism symbolizes salvation, with figures aboard evoking the faithful navigating life's turbulent seas under divine guidance—a clever adaptation blending pre-Islamic lore with the Safavid dynasty's fervent Shi'a identity. Craf...