Page of Calligraphy from a Shahnama (Book of Kings)
Medium
Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper
Classification
Codices
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Joseph Pulitzer Bequest, 1952
Accession Number
52.20.9d
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite page of calligraphy hails from a *Shahnama* (Book of Kings), the monumental Persian epic poem by Ferdowsi recounting Iran's mythical and historical kings from creation to the Islamic conquest. Produced between 1562 and 1583 during the Safavid dynasty in Shiraz—a renowned center of manuscript production—this single folio captures the grandeur of Persian literary tradition. As part of a luxurious codex, it reflects the era's patronage of the arts under Shah Tahmasp, blending poetry with visual splendor to preserve cultural heritage. Crafted by Muhammad ibn Taj al-Din Haidar Muzah...