"The Iranians Mourn Farud and Jarira", Folio 236r from the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp
Medium
Opaque watercolor, ink, silver, and gold on paper
Dimensions
Painting: H. 11 1/4 in. (28.6 cm) W. 7 5/16 in. (18.6 cm) Entire Page: H. 18 5/8 in. (47.3 cm) W. 12 1/2 in. (31.8 cm)
Classification
Codices
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Arthur A. Houghton Jr., 1970
Accession Number
1970.301.35
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite folio, titled *The Iranians Mournud and Jarira*, leaf 236r from the monumental *Shahnama* (Book of Kings) Shah Tahmasp, a lavish Safavid Persian manuscript created around 1525–30. Attributed to artists Mirza Muhammad Qab and 'Abd al-'Aziz, with poetry by the epic's author Abu'l Qasim Firdausi, captures a poignant moment of collective grief from the 10th-century Persian national epic. Here, the Iranian people lament the tragic deaths of the heroes Farud and Jarira, evoking deep sorrow amid horses, men, and women gathered in mourning—a timeless theme of loss and heroism central to...
About the Artist
Mirza Muhammad Qabahat|Abu'l Qasim Firdausi|'Abd al-'Aziz ( |Iranian| ) · |0935 |1500 – |1020 |1550
|Iranian, Paj ca. 940/41–1020 Tus|active first half 16th century