About This Artwork
Iran
Fars, Shiraz
From a manuscript of the Shahnama
Zal Climbing to Rudaba, page from a copy of the Shahnama of Firdausi1580/1590
Opaque watercolor and gold on paper
26 x 17 cm (10 1/4 x 6 3/4 in.)
Everett and Ann McNear Collection, 1983.627
Asian Art
Not on Display
Among the most beautiful examples of Islamic art are the illuminated manuscripts from Persia that portray legendary tales of heroism, love, and adventure. Zal Courting Rudabahis a page from a 16th-century version of the Book of Kings,the national epic of Persia. Below the lovers seen on the balcony are attendants, animals, architecture, flowering plants, and calligraphy (revered as an art form throughout the Islamic world), all carefully integrated into a rich, overall pattern. The painting's jewel-like quality is enhanced by its brilliant colors, including gold and blue, formed from the precious stone lapis lazuli.