Floor plan

Style galleriesPersian painting and the book

Persian painting and the book

Royal Reception in a Landscape, left folio from the double frontispiece of a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi (Persian, about 940–1019 or 1025), 1444
"The Four Knights of Kai Khusrau in the Mountains", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings), by Abu'l Qasim Firdausi, dated 741 AH/1341 CE
Folio from a Mu'nis al-ahrar fi daqa'iq al-ash'ar (The Free Man's Companion to the Subtleties of Poems) of Jajarmi, by Muhammad ibn Badr al-Din Jajarmi, dated 741 AH/1340–41 CE
"The Concourse of the Birds", Folio 11r from a Mantiq al-Tayr (Language of the Birds), by Habiballah of Sava, ca. 1600
"Laila and Majnun at School", Folio from a Khamsa (Quintet) of Nizami of Ganja, by Ja'far Baisunghuri, 835 AH/1431–32 CE
"Gushtasp Slays the Rhino-Wolf", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings), by Abu'l Qasim Firdausi, ca. 1330–40

The works in this room are listed below.

Works in this room

Illustrated manuscripts and paintings from Persia, made for princes and their libraries.

Section 1, north wall

  1. Royal Reception in a Landscape, left folio from the double frontispiece of a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi (Persian, about 940–1019 or 1025), 1444
    Royal Reception in a Landscape, left folio from the double frontispiece of a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi (Persian, about 940–1019 or 1025)Unrecorded Persian maker, 1444Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  2. "The Four Knights of Kai Khusrau in the Mountains", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings), by Abu'l Qasim Firdausi, dated 741 AH/1341 CE
    "The Four Knights of Kai Khusrau in the Mountains", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings)Abu'l Qasim Firdausi, dated 741 AH/1341 CECourtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  3. Folio from a Mu'nis al-ahrar fi daqa'iq al-ash'ar (The Free Man's Companion to the Subtleties of Poems) of Jajarmi, by Muhammad ibn Badr al-Din Jajarmi, dated 741 AH/1340–41 CE
    Folio from a Mu'nis al-ahrar fi daqa'iq al-ash'ar (The Free Man's Companion to the Subtleties of Poems) of JajarmiMuhammad ibn Badr al-Din Jajarmi, dated 741 AH/1340–41 CECourtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Section 1, south wall

  1. "The Concourse of the Birds", Folio 11r from a Mantiq al-Tayr (Language of the Birds), by Habiballah of Sava, ca. 1600
    "The Concourse of the Birds", Folio 11r from a Mantiq al-Tayr (Language of the Birds)Habiballah of Sava, ca. 1600Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  2. "Laila and Majnun at School", Folio from a Khamsa (Quintet) of Nizami of Ganja, by Ja'far Baisunghuri, 835 AH/1431–32 CE
    "Laila and Majnun at School", Folio from a Khamsa (Quintet) of Nizami of GanjaJa'far Baisunghuri, 835 AH/1431–32 CECourtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  3. "Gushtasp Slays the Rhino-Wolf", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings), by Abu'l Qasim Firdausi, ca. 1330–40
    "Gushtasp Slays the Rhino-Wolf", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings)Abu'l Qasim Firdausi, ca. 1330–40Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Section 2, south wall

  1. Preface (verso) from a double-page frontispiece of a Shahnama of Firdausi (940-1019 or 1025), c. 1444
    Preface (verso) from a double-page frontispiece of a Shahnama of Firdausi (940-1019 or 1025)Unrecorded Persian maker, c. 1444Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  2. "The Besotted Iranian Camp Attacked by Night", Folio 241r from the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp, by Abu'l Qasim Firdausi, ca. 1525–30
    "The Besotted Iranian Camp Attacked by Night", Folio 241r from the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah TahmaspAbu'l Qasim Firdausi, ca. 1525–30Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  3. "Dancing Dervishes", Folio from a Divan of Hafiz, by Hafiz, ca. 1480
    "Dancing Dervishes", Folio from a Divan of HafizHafiz, ca. 1480Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Section 2, north wall

  1. "Muhammad's Call to Prophecy and the First Revelation", Folio from a Majma' al-Tavarikh (Compendium of Histories), by Hafiz-i Abru, ca. 1425
    "Muhammad's Call to Prophecy and the First Revelation", Folio from a Majma' al-Tavarikh (Compendium of Histories)Hafiz-i Abru, ca. 1425Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  2. "Zahhak is Told His Fate", Folio 29v from the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp, by Abu'l Qasim Firdausi, ca. 1524
    "Zahhak is Told His Fate", Folio 29v from the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah TahmaspAbu'l Qasim Firdausi, ca. 1524Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  3. "The Angel Surush Rescues Khusrau Parviz from a Cul-de-sac", Folio 708v from the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp, by Abu'l Qasim Firdausi, ca. 1530–35
    "The Angel Surush Rescues Khusrau Parviz from a Cul-de-sac", Folio 708v from the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah TahmaspAbu'l Qasim Firdausi, ca. 1530–35Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Section 3, north wall

  1. "Bahram Gur Pins the Coupling Onagers", Folio 568r from the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp, by Abu'l Qasim Firdausi, ca. 1530–35
    "Bahram Gur Pins the Coupling Onagers", Folio 568r from the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah TahmaspAbu'l Qasim Firdausi, ca. 1530–35Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  2. Folio from a Mu'nis al-ahrar fi daqa'iq al-ash'ar (The Free Man's Companion to the Subtleties of Poems) of Jajarmi, by Muhammad ibn Badr al-Din Jajarmi, dated 741 AH/1341 CE
    Folio from a Mu'nis al-ahrar fi daqa'iq al-ash'ar (The Free Man's Companion to the Subtleties of Poems) of JajarmiMuhammad ibn Badr al-Din Jajarmi, dated 741 AH/1341 CECourtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Section 3, south wall

  1. Text Page, Persian Prose (recto) from a Manuscript of the Majma' al-Tavarikh (A Compendium of Histories) by Hafiz-i Abru:, c. 1425
    Text Page, Persian Prose (recto) from a Manuscript of the Majma' al-Tavarikh (A Compendium of Histories) by Hafiz-i Abru:Unrecorded Persian maker, c. 1425Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  2. "The Feast of Sada", Folio 22v from the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp, by Abu'l Qasim Firdausi, ca. 1525
    "The Feast of Sada", Folio 22v from the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah TahmaspAbu'l Qasim Firdausi, ca. 1525Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art