"Rustam rescues Bizhan from the Pit", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings)
1560–80
Medium
Opaque watercolor, silver, and gold on paper
Dimensions
Page: H. 14 5/8 in. (37.1 cm) W. 8 7/8 in. (22.5 cm) Painting: H. 10 3/4 in. (27.3 cm) W. 7 3/4 in. (19.7 cm)
Classification
Codices
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Rogers Fund and Joseph V. McMullan Gift, 1965
Accession Number
65.7.2
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite folio from a Shahnama manuscript captures a dramatic moment from the Persian epic poem composed by Abu'l Qasim Firdausi. It depicts the legendary hero Rustam rescuing his comrade Bizhan from a pit, a tale of bravery and loyalty drawn from ancient Iranian mythology. Created between 1560 and 1580, the work reflects the enduring popularity of the Shahnama during the Safavid era, when such illustrated manuscripts served as both literary treasures and symbols of cultural identity for royal and noble patrons. Executed in opaque watercolor with delicate touches of silver and gold on p...
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...