The Great Mongol Shahnama: Rare Book of the Week
Folio from a ‘Shahnama’ (‘Book of Kings’) by Firdawsi (d. 1020). Anushirvan bestowing largess upon his minister Buzurjmihr
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art's exhibition An Epic of Kings: The Great Mongol Shahnama focuses on the first imperial copy of Iran’s national epic, Firdawsi’s Shahnama or Book of Kings.
The manuscript, completed sometime between 1330 and 1336 in Tabriz, the capital of the Ilkhanids, the Mongol rulers of Iran (1256–1353), exemplifies the artistic originality that flourished under Ilkhanid rule, a period traditionally associated with upheaval and destruction rather than creativity.
For the first time ever, the exhibition assembles 24 folios from the manuscript, concentrating on the series of illustrated folios depicting Iran’s historical rulers, beginning with Alexander the Great. “An Epic of Kings” not only includes works from Yuan and Ming China, but also from the medieval Mediterranean world and the Latin West. This highlights the cosmopolitan nature of the Ilkhanid empire and the development of a particular and rich pictorial language as the dynasty strengthened its position at the crossroads of the East and West.
Chase F. Robinson, the museum’s director, said: “An Epic of Kings would not be possible without the generosity of institutions that lent us exceptional works of art including some folios from this manuscript, enabling us to offer a rare chance to view many pages from a medieval Persian masterpiece and to invite visitors to learn more about the complexities of its creation in the 14th century.”
Runs through January 12, 2025.
