"The Funeral of Isfandiyar," Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings)

About this artwork

Step into the vibrant world of 14th-century Persian manuscript art with "The Funeral of Isfiyar," a stunning folio from the *Shahnama* (Book of Kings), the epic poem by Abu'l Qasim Firda completed around 1010 CE. This page, created in the 1330s during the Ilkhanid Mongol in Iran, captures a poignant funeral procession for the heroic prince Isfandiyar, slain by the legendary warrior Rustam. As a codex leaf in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Islamic Art collection, it exemplifies the *Shahnama*'s role as Iran's national epic, blending myth, history, and moral tales for royal patrons. Rendered in ink, opaque watercolor, and shimmering gold on paper (measuring about 23 x 16 inches), the artwork showcases the refined techniques of Persian miniature painting. Artists layered vivid, jewel-like colors over fine ink outlines, using gold to highlight figures and architecture, creating a luminous, otherworldly glow. The composition teems with men on horseback, mourners, and symbolic elements, rendered in the characteristic flattened perspective that allows multiple narrative moments to unfold across the page—hallmarks of Ilkhanid style influenced by Chinese motifs introduced via Mongol rule. This folio's cultural significance endures as a window into medieval Islamic Persia, where illuminated manuscripts were treasured artifacts of storytelling and artistry. Purchased in 1933 through the Joseph Pulitzer Bequest, it invites us to mourn a fallen hero while celebrating Firdausi's timeless verses.