"Rescue of Bizhan by Piran", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi
ca. 1610
Medium
Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper
Dimensions
Page: H. 7 7/8 in. (20 cm) W. 4 3/4 in. (12.1 cm) Painting: H. 5 3/16 in. (13.2 cm) W. 2 3/4 in. (7 cm)
Classification
Codices
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Wendy Findlay, 1983
Accession Number
1983.354.1
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold the dramatic "Rescue of Bizhan Piran," a folio from a *Shahnama* (Book of Kings) by the legendary Persian poet Abu'l Qasim Firda. Created around 1610 during the Safavid era in Iran, this miniature captures a pivotal moment from the epic: the Turanian warrior Piran heroically rescuing the Persian prince Bizhan from peril amid clashing horses and men. The *Shahnama*, completed by Firdausi around 0 CE, chronicles Iran's mythical kings and heroes, blending history, legend, and moral tales that shaped Persian identity for centuries. Crafted in the exquisite tradition of Persian painting, th...
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...