Lot 43 AN ILLUSTRATED AND ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT FROM FIRDAWSI’S SHAHNAMA, PERSIA, 16TH CENTURY
Persian manuscript on paper, the text written in delicate nastaʿlīq script in black ink arranged in four columns; intercolumnar rules in gold; inner margins ruled in colours and gold; with an illustration executed in gouache and gold.
This illustrated folio from the Shahnameh depicts a courtly scene centered on Bahram Gur, shown seated on a raised platform and attended by courtiers in a richly decorated interior. The composition emphasizes balance and refinement, with subdued gestures and an atmosphere of royal leisure. An opening at the side reveals a flowering garden, reinforcing themes of order and prosperity. Framed by panels of Persian text, the image accompanies an episode describing the advance of the Chinese Khaqan against Bahram Gur, though the painting itself presents a moment of calm rather than conflict.
20 by 17 cm.