"Zal delivers Sam's letter to Manuchihr", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi
ca. 1330–40
Medium
Ink, opaque watercolor, gold, and silver on paper
Dimensions
Painting: H. 2 1/2 in. (6.4 cm) W. 4 5/16 in. (11 cm) Page: H. 8 in. (20.3 cm) W. 5 3/16 in. (13.2 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
Bequest of Monroe C. Gutman, 1974
Accession Number
1974.290.3
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the heroic world of ancient Persia with this exquisite folio from Firdausi's *Shahnama* (Book of Kings), titled *"Zal Delivers Sam's Letter to Manhr."* Created around 1330–40, this miniature painting captures a pivotal moment in the epic poem: the white-haired warrior Zal presenting a letter from his father Sam to the king Manuchihr. The *Shahnama*, completed by the poet Abu'l Qasim Firda around 1010, is Iran's national epic, weaving tales of kings, heroes, and moral triumphs that shaped Persian identity for centuries. Rendered in ink, opaque watercolor, gold, and silver on paper, t...
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...