The Cleveland Museum of Art
Collection Online as of December 18, 2025
The Story of Nushirwan and his Minister, "The Third Discourse on Diverse Events and Disorder in Life" from a Khamsa (Quintet) of Nizami (1141–1209) (verso)
1555–65
(1501-1722)
Sheet: 32.7 x 21.8 cm (12 7/8 x 8 9/16 in.); Text area: 20.3 x 12.7 cm (8 x 5 in.)
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1944.487.b
Location: Not on view
Did You Know?
King Nushirwan is on a white horse, while his minister Buzurjmihr is riding a mule.Description
This scene is from the Makhzan al-Ashrar, the first of the Quintet. Although more historically oriented than the following poems, it served more as a vehicle for moralizing tales than for historical events. In this scene Nushirwan asks the sage Buzurgmihr to explain what the owls perched on a ruined building are saying. He explains that one owl is offering the other as many ruined cities as he likes in exchange for his daughter's hand. He thus reproves Nushirwan for his love of conquest and war and the consequent destruction of many cities.- ?-1944(H. Kevorkian [1872–1962], New York, NY, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art)1944-The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
- The Cleveland Museum of Art. The Cleveland Museum of Art Handbook. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1958. Mentioned: cat. no. 725 archive.org
- The Classical Style in Islamic Painting. The Morgan Library & Museum, New York, NY (organizer) (November 1, 1968-January 4, 1969).
- {{cite web|title=The Story of Nushirwan and his Minister, "The Third Discourse on Diverse Events and Disorder in Life" from a Khamsa (Quintet) of Nizami (1141–1209) (verso)|url=false|author=|year=1555–65|access-date=18 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}
Source URL:
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1944.487.b