"Rustam's First Course: Rakhsh Kills a Lion", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings)
ca. 1430–40
Medium
Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper
Dimensions
Image: H. 9 1/2 in. (24.1 cm) W. 10 3/8 in. (26.4 cm) Page: H. 11 1/2 in. (29.2 cm) W. 12 1/4 in. (31.1 cm) Mat: H. 19 1/4 in. (48.9 cm) W. 14 1/4 in. (36.2 cm)
Classification
Codices
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Grinnell Collection, Bequest of William Milne Grinnell, 1920
Accession Number
20.120.246
Tags
Art Historical Context
This stunning folio from a *Shahnama* (Book of Kings), titled *"Rustam's First Course: Rakh Kills a Lion" captures a thrilling moment from the Persian national epic composed by the poet Abu'l Qasim Firdausi around1010 CE. In the story, the heroic warrior Rustam embarks on perilous trials, and here his loyal steed Rakhsh fiercely battles a lion, showcasing bravery and the deep bond between rider and horse. Created circa 1430–40 in the Timurid era, this page reflects the golden age of Persian manuscript illumination, where epic tales of ancient Iranian kings and champions were vividly brought to...
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...