"Kai Khusrau Rides Bihzad for the First Time", Folio 212r from the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp
ca. 1525–30
Medium
Opaque watercolor, ink, silver, and gold on paper
Dimensions
Painting: H. 11 1/8 in. (28.2 cm) W. 7 1/4 in. (18.4 cm) Page: H. 18 5/8 in. (47.3 cm) W. 12 5/8 in. (32.1 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
1970.301.33
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite folio comes from the celebrated Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp, one of the most lavish illustrated manuscripts ever created in Persia. Produced around 1525–30 during the early Safavid period, the page illustrates a dramatic moment from Ferdowsi’s epic poem: the young prince Kai Khusrau mounting Bihzad, a legendary horse, for the first time. The scene captures both heroic narrative and courtly splendor, with finely rendered figures, lively horses, and delicate birds set against a richly patterned landscape. The painting is attributed to the artist Qasim ibn ‘Ali, who w...
About the Artist
Qasim ibn 'Ali|Abu'l Qasim Firdausi (Iranian|Iranian) · 1500 |0935 –1585 |1020
Iranian, active ca. 1525–60|Iranian, Paj ca. 940/41–1020 Tus