"Rakhsh Kills a Lion while Rustam is Asleep", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi
ca. 1300–30
Medium
Ink, opaque watercolor, silver, and gold on paper
Dimensions
Text block: H. 6 1/16 in. (15.4 cm) W. 4 13/16 in. 12.3 cm) Painting: H. 1 13/16 in. (4.6 cm) W. 3 5/16 in. (8.4 cm)
Classification
Codices
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1969
Accession Number
69.74.9
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite folio from a *Shahnama* (Book of Kings), the epic poem by Abu'l Qasim Firda completed around 1010 CE, captures a thrilling moment from the adventures of the hero Rustam. Dated circa 1300–0, it depicts Rustam's loyal steed, Rakhsh, fiercely a lion while the warrior sleeps nearby. The *Shahnama* chronicles Iran's mythical kings and heroes, blending history, legend, and moral tales, and was a cornerstone of Persian cultural identity, especially under Mongol Ilkhanid patronage during this period. Rendered in ink, opaque watercolor, silver, and 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...