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Identification and Creation

Object Number
2002.50.148
Title
Kay Khusraw Reviews His Troops (painting, verso; text, recto), folio from a manuscript of the Shahnama by Firdawsi
Other Titles
Series/Book Title: Shahnama by Firdawsi
Classification
Manuscripts
Work Type
manuscript folio
Date
1562
Places
Creation Place: Middle East, Iran, Shiraz
Period
Safavid period
Culture
Persian
Persistent Link
https://hvrd.art/o/96774

Physical Descriptions

Medium
Ink, opaque watercolor and gold on paper
Dimensions
37.2 x 23.9 cm (14 5/8 x 9 7/16 in.)

Provenance

Recorded Ownership History
[Christies, London, 17 October 1995, lot no. 79]. [Mansour Gallery, London, before 1998], sold; to Stanford and Norma Jean Calderwood, Belmont, MA (by 1998-2002), gift; to Harvard Art Museums, 2002.

Acquisition and Rights

Credit Line
Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, The Norma Jean Calderwood Collection of Islamic Art
Accession Year
2002
Object Number
2002.50.148
Division
Asian and Mediterranean Art
Contact
am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu
Permissions

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Descriptions

Description
Kay Khusraw, grown to manhood and now king of Iran, prepared to mount a campaign against the Turanian murderers of his father, Siyavush. Seated on a jeweled throne atop his mammoth war elephant, he rode out to review his army. The great imperial warriors, including Fariburz and Gudarz, filed past.
The illustration portrays Kay Khusraw in a lavish howdah; he is surrounded by mounted soldiers with colorfully caparisoned horses and gold and silver weapons and helmets.

Published Catalogue Text: In Harmony: The Norma Jean Calderwood Collection of Islamic Art , written 2013
83 A–B

Double page: Kay Khusraw Reviews His Troops
A. Verso: text and illustration
Folio: 37.2 × 23.9 cm (14 5/8 × 9 7/16 in.)
2002.50.148
Published: Reed 2005, 44.
B. Recto: text, concerning Kay Khusraw preparing the army and Tus, with his troops, marching on Turan
Folio: 37.3 × 24 cm (14 11/16 × 9 7/16 in.)
2002.50.149

Kay Khusraw, grown to manhood and now king of Iran, prepared to mount a campaign against the Turanian murderers of his father, Siyavush. Seated on a jeweled throne atop his mammoth war elephant, he rode out to review his army. The great imperial warriors, including Fariburz and Gudarz, filed past.

The illustration portrays Kay Khusraw in a lavish howdah; he is surrounded by mounted soldiers with colorfully caparisoned horses and gold and silver weapons and helmets.

Mika M. Natif

Publication History

  • Christopher Reed, "Art of the Hunt", Harvard Magazine, Harvard University (Cambridge, MA, May-June 2005), vol. 107/no. 5, p 44-45
  • Mary McWilliams, ed., In Harmony: The Norma Jean Calderwood Collection of Islamic Art, exh. cat., Harvard Art Museums (Cambridge, MA, 2013), p. 229, cat. 83 A-B, ill.

Exhibition History

Related Works

Verification Level

This record has been reviewed by the curatorial staff but may be incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. For more information please contact the Division of Asian and Mediterranean Art at am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu