Re-View: S231 (Islamic rotation: 5) Heroic Gestes: Epic Tales from Firdawsi's Shahnama

Featuring the gestes, or deeds, of great heroes and kings, the Shahnama is the most important work of epic poetry in the Persian language. As it chronicles the reigns of 50 monarchs, Firdawsi’s text is interwoven with a cycle of heroic tales. Rich in action, pathos, and horror, these tales have inspired many of the greatest paintings in the history of Islamic manuscript illustration. The nine works of art in this installation explore major themes in the text: the struggle between Iran and Turan; the element of fantasy in many of the tales; and Firdawsi’s dark view of fate. Curated by Mary McWilliams, Norma Jean Calderwood Curator of Islamic and Later Indian Art, Division of Asian and Mediterranean Art, Harvard Art Museums; and Sunil Sharma, Assistant Professor of Persianate and Comparative Literature, Boston University.

The installation is made possible by funding from the Arthur Urbane Dilley and Theron Johnson Damon Fund for Islamic Art and Culture.