Walters Ms. W.602, Book of kings (Shahnama)

W.602

Book of kings (Shahnama)

Shāhnāmah

Vernacular: شاهنامه

Authority name: Firdawsī

As-written name: Abū al-Qāsim Ḥasan ibn Isḥāq Firdawsī Ṭūsī

Name, in vernacular: ابو القاسم حسن بن اسحاق فردوسى طوسى

Note: Author dates preferred by cataloger: d. 411 or 416 AH / 1020-5 CE

This copy of Firdawsī's Shāhnāmah (Book of kings) was written by Muḥammad Mīrak ibn Mīr Muḥammad al-Ḥusaynī al-Ustādī, most probably in Herat (present-day Afghanistan). It was completed in 1028 AH / 1618-9 CE. There are two Arabic colophons, one at the end of the preface (fol. 7a) and the other at the end of part 1 (fol. 334a). The preface is by Abū Manṣūr Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Razzāq, who composed it in 346 AH / 957-8 CE. Although incomplete at the end, the manuscript contains eighty-three illustrations. Some are by a later hand and attributed to Safavid artists Rizā ʿAbbāsī and Shaykh ʿAbbāsī in the eleventh century AH / seventeenth CE (fols. 55b, 62b, 391b, 476b, and 479b). The lacquer binding is not contemporary with the manuscript and dates to the thirteenth century AH / nineteenth CE.

1028 AH / 1618-9 CE (fol. 7a, end of preface); 1027 AH / 1617-8 CE (fol. 334a, end of part 1)

Probably Herat (present-day Afghanistan)

As-written name: Muḥammad Mīrak ibn Mīr Muḥammad al-Ḥusaynī al-Ustādī

Name, in vernacular: محمد ميرك بن مير محمد الحسينى الاستادى

Book

Historical

Literary -- Poetry

The primary language in this manuscript is Persian. The secondary language of this manuscript is Arabic.

fol. 7a:

1. Transliteration: Fol. 7a, end of preface: katabahu Muḥammad /1/ Mīrak bn Mīr Muḥammad /2/ al-Ḥusaynī /3/ al-Ustādī /4/ ghafara dunūbahu /5/ wa-satara ʿuyūb /6/ ahu tamma tamma /7/ tamma /8/ fī sanat 1028 /9/; fol. 334a, end of part 1: tammat al-mujallad al-ūlá [sic] min Kitāb Shāhnāmah /1/ ḥakīm Firdawsī Ṭūsī ṭayyaba tharāhu /2/ fī al-shuhūr sanat 1027 katabahu al-ʿabd al-rājī /3/ Muḥammad Mīrak ibn Mīr Muḥammad al-Ḥusaynī /4/ al-Ustādī /5/ ʿafá ʿanhu /6/ m (= tamma) /7/
2. Comment: Two colophons in Arabic, one at the end of the preface (fol. 7a), the other at the end of part 1 (fol. 334a), giving the title of the work, the scribe's name, and the date of copying

Paper

Laid paper

Foliation: i+531+ii

Catchwords: Written obliquely on versos

23.5 cm wide by 36.5 cm high

12.5 cm wide by 21.5 cm high

1. Columns: 4
2. Ruled lines: 21
3. Verses written horizontally and obliquely

fols. 1b - 531a:

1. Title: Shāhnāmah
2. Author: Firdawsī
3. Scribe: Muḥammad Mīrak ibn Mīr Muḥammad al-Ḥusaynī al-Ustādī
4. Incipit: سپاس وآفرين خدايرا كه اين جهان...
5. Text note: Main text preceded by a preface by Abū Manṣūr Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Razzāq; text incomplete (some 135 folios missing from part 2)
6. Hand note: Written mostly in black nastaʿlīq script with rubrications and chapter/section headings in white on a gold background
7. Decoration note: Eighty-three illustrations, some spuriously attributed to Riz̤ā ʿAbbāsī and Shaykh ʿAbbāsī (fols. 55b, 62b, 391b, 476b, and 479b); Double-page illuminated frontispiece opening the main text of the Shāhnāmah (fols. 8b-9a); illuminated headpiece for the beginning of part 2 (fol. 335b); illuminated headpiece (fol. 106b)

fol. 8b:

1. 
2. Title: Double-page illuminated frontispiece
3. Form: Frontispiece
4. Label: This is the right side of a double-page illuminated frontispiece that precedes the beginning of the main text of the Shāhnāmah (Book of kings).

fol. 9a:

1. 
2. Title: Double-page illuminated frontispiece
3. Form: Frontispiece
4. Label: This is the left side of a double-page illuminated frontispiece that precedes the beginning of the main text of the Shāhnāmah (Book of kings).

fol. 12a:

1. 
2. Title: Kayūmars̱ enthroned
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 13b:

1. 
2. Title: Hūshang discovers fire while planning to kill a dragon with a stone
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 15a:

1. 
2. Title: Tahmūras̱ and the dīvs
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 23a:

1. 
2. Title: Farīdūn defeats Z̤aḥḥāk
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 26b:

1. 
2. Title: Farīdūn enthroned
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 30b:

1. 
2. Title: The murder of Īraj
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 32a:

1. 
2. Title: The birth of Manūchihr
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 36a:

1. 
2. Title: Manūchihr kills Tūr in battle
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 38a:

1. 
2. Title: Manūchihr kills Salm
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 41b:

1. 
2. Title: Sām brings Zāl from the mountains
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 55b:

1. 
2. Title: Sām receives Sindukht as envoy from the king of Kābul
3. Form: Illustration
4. Label: There is a later inscription on this illustration bearing the name of the painter Rizā with the date 1070 AH / 1659-60 CE.

fol. 62b:

1. 
2. Title: Qubād discusses death before fighting Bārmān
3. Form: Illustration
4. Label: Illegible signatures are present, as well as the spurious date 1082 AH /1671 CE.

fol. 69a:

1. 
2. Title: Rustam lifts Afrāsiyāb by the belt
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 75a:

1. 
2. Title: Rakhsh kills a lion (the first feat)
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 76b:

1. 
2. Title: Rustam kills a dragon (the third feat)
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 79b:

1. 
2. Title: Rustam kills the White Dīv (the seventh feat)
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 82b:

1. 
2. Title: The King of Māzandarān changes himself into a rock
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 102b:

1. 
2. Title: Rustam mortally wounds Suhrāb
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 105b:

1. 
2. Title: Tahmīnah laments over the body of her son Suhrāb
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 106b:

1. 
2. Title: Incipit page with illuminated headpiece
3. Form: Incipit; headpiece
4. Label: This incipit page with illuminated headpiece introduces the story of Siyāvush.

fol. 113b:

1. 
2. Title: The fire ordeal of Siyāvush
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 125a:

1. 
2. Title: Siyāvush plays polo before Afrāsiyāb
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 128b:

1. 
2. Title: Siyāvush marries Farangīs
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 138b:

1. 
2. Title: Gurūy executes Siyāvush
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 147a:

1. 
2. Title: Rustam fights Afrāsiyāb
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 158b:

1. 
2. Title: Kay Kāvus receives Kay Khusraw on his arrival from Tūrān
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 163a:

1. 
2. Title: Kay Khusraw enthroned
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 168b:

1. 
2. Title: Kay Khusraw reviews his troops
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 176a:

1. 
2. Title: Farūd retreats to his fortress and is mortally wounded by Ruhām
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 196a:

1. 
2. Title: Farīburz marries Farangīs
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 204a:

1. 
2. Title: Rustam kills Ashkabūs and his horse
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 207a:

1. 
2. Title: Rustam captures and kills Kāmūs
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 216a:

1. 
2. Title: Rustam pulls the Khāqān of China from his elephant by a lasso
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 224b:

1. 
2. Title: Rustam wrestles with Pūlādvand
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 228a:

1. 
2. Title: Rustam kills the demon Akvān
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 235b:

1. 
2. Title: Bīzhan in chains is brought to the well
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 241a:

1. 
2. Title: Rustam drinks wine with Kay Khusraw
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 246b:

1. 
2. Title: Rustam fights the son of the White Dīv who guarded Bīzhan
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 247b:

1. 
2. Title: Rustam rescues Bīzhan from the well
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 251a:

1. 
2. Title: Kay Khusraw receives Rustam after Bīzhan’s rescue
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 263a:

1. 
2. Title: Bīzhan kills Hūmān
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 264b:

1. 
2. Title: Bīzhan slays Nastihan
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 274a:

1. 
2. Title: Gīv fights Farshīdvard
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 278b:

1. 
2. Title: Farīburz kills Kulbād
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 279b:

1. 
2. Title: Gīv battles Gurūy (Gurvī)
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 280b:

1. 
2. Title: Bīzhan kills Ruyīn
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 281b:

1. 
2. Title: Zangah kills Jāvarjāsp with a spear
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 282b:

1. 
2. Title: Gurgīn cuts off the head of Andarīmān
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 284a:

1. 
2. Title: Gūdarz kills Pīrān
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 289a:

1. 
2. Title: Kay Khusraw mourns Pīrān and the dead Turanians
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 290b:

1. 
2. Title: Kay Khusraw kills Gurūy (Gurvī)
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 302a:

1. 
2. Title: The army of Kay Khusraw battles the army of Shīdah
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 311a:

1. 
2. Title: Kay Khusraw, having conquered Afrāsiyāb’s fortress, sits on his throne
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 314b:

1. 
2. Title: Afrāsiyāb’s chieftains before Kay Khusraw
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 319a:

1. 
2. Title: Kay Khusraw crosses Lake Zarah in pursuit of Afrāsiyāb
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 325a:

1. 
2. Title: Kay Khusraw slays Afrāsiyāb
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 335b:

1. 
2. Title: Incipit page with illuminated headpiece
3. Form: Incipit; headpiece
4. Label: This incipit page with illuminated headpiece introduces part 2 of the Shāhnāmah, beginning with the story of King Luhrāsp.

fol. 337b:

1. 
2. Title: Luhrāsp enthroned
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 341b:

1. 
2. Title: Gushtāsp kills a wolf
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 346a:

1. 
2. Title: Gushtāsp fight with Ilyās
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 355a:

1. 
2. Title: Bidarāfsh kills Zarīr, the brother of Gushtāsp
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 377b:

1. 
2. Title: Isfandiyār kills Gurgsār during the seventh exploit
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 381a:

1. 
2. Title: Isfandiyār kills Arjāsp
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 391b:

1. 
2. Title: Rustam and Isfandiyār parley
3. Form: Illustration
4. Label: This illustration is a spurious later attribution to Shaykh ʿAbbāsī with the date 1097 AH / 1685 CE.

fol. 397b:

1. 
2. Title: The first combat of Rustam and Isfandiyār
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 403a:

1. 
2. Title: Rustam shoots Isfandiyār in the eyes with a double-pointed arrow
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 410b:

1. 
2. Title: Rustam kills his brother Shaghād before dying in the pit
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 415b:

1. 
2. Title: Humāy enthroned
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 423b:

1. 
2. Title: Alexander the Great mourns the dying Darius
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 427a:

1. 
2. Title: Alexander the Great meets Rushanak, the daughter of Darius
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 433b:

1. 
2. Title: Alexander the Great kills Fūr, the king of India
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 456b:

1. 
2. Title: The execution of Ardavān by Ardashīr
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 460b:

1. 
2. Title: Ardashīr executes Mihrak
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 462b:

1. 
2. Title: Ardashīr hangs Haftvād and his eldest son
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 465a:

1. 
2. Title: Ardashīr recognizes his son Shāpūr during a polo game
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 472b:

1. 
2. Title: Ardashīr, on his deathbed, cedes the throne to Shāpūr
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 476b:

1. 
2. Title: Bahrām Bahrāmiyān enthroned
3. Form: Illustration
4. Label: This illustration is a spurious later attribution to Shaykh ʿAbbāsī with the date 1097 AH / 1685 CE.

fol. 479b:

1. 
2. Title: The infant king Shāpūr II enthroned
3. Form: Illustration
4. Label: This illustration is a spurious later attribution to Riz̤ā ʿAbbāsī with the date 1097 AH / 1685 CE.

fol. 486a:

1. 
2. Title: Shāpūr cuts off the nose and ears of the king of Rūm
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 488a:

1. 
2. Title: Shāpūr besieges the Roman fortress of Naṣībīn
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 493a:

1. 
2. Title: Munzir introduces Bahrām Gūr to two maidens, one a servant, the other a harpist
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 494b:

1. 
2. Title: Bahrām Gūr hunts with his men
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 499b:

1. 
2. Title: Bahrām Gūr enthroned
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 504a:

1. 
2. Title: Bahrām Gūr hunts lions
3. Form: Illustration

fol. 513a:

1. 
2. Title: Bahrām Gūr decapitates a lion
3. Form: Illustration

The binding is not original.

Dates to the thirteenth century AH / nineteenth CE; Qajar-style lacquer boards (no flap); central ovals and pendants decorated with animal scenes; doublures with dentelle-style filigree work

Walters Art Museum, 1931, by Henry Walters bequest

Richard, Francis. Catalogue des manuscrits persans. (Paris: Bibliothèque nationale, 1989), no. 278.

Storey, C. A. Persian Literature: A Bio-Bibliographical Survey, Vol. 1. (London: Luzac, 1927- ), 112-159.

Schmitz, Barbara. “Miniature Painting in Harāt, 1570-1640.” (PhD diss., New York University, 1981), 353-358.

Principal cataloger: Gacek, Adam

Catalogers: Landau, Amy; Smith, Sita

Editor: Bockrath, Diane

Conservators: Jewell, Stephanie; Quandt, Abigail

Contributors: Barrera, Christina; Emery, Doug; Herbert, Lynley; Noel, William; Simpson, Shreve; Tabritha, Ariel; Toth, Michael B.; Valle, Chiara

The Walters Art Museum

Licensed for use under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported Access Rights, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/legalcode. It is requested that copies of any published articles based on the information in this data set be sent to the curator of manuscripts, The Walters Art Museum, 600 North Charles Street, Baltimore MD 21201.