The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 19, 2025

Persian Verses: The Fortieth Year of King Kisra Nushirwan's Reign and the Story of Buzurgmihr (recto) from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi (940–1019 or 1025)

1330–35

Iran, Tabriz, Ilkhanid period

(1256-1353)
Ink and opaque watercolor on paper
Sheet: 59.3 x 40.2 cm (23 3/8 x 15 13/16 in.); Text area: 40.6 x 29.2 cm (16 x 11 1/2 in.)
John L. Severance Fund 1959.330.a
Location: Not on view

Did You Know?

The Mongol rulers of Iran placed high value on illustrated manuscripts, especially histories, and established royal library-workshops.

Description

Mongol interest in the production of illustrated manuscripts eventually focused on Persian epic poetry. The Shahnama, a compilation of the epics and tales of Iran's legendary heroes, was a natural choice; the book included many subjects that suited Mongol taste, such as banquets, battles, hunting, and magical or fantastic events.

The painting on the other side of this page is of the Sasanian ruler of Iran, Khusraw I Anushirwan (531–579), descendant of Bahram Gur. Above the king's head an inscription reads, "Picture of Nushirwan the Just." The figure in the elaborate turban to the left of the king is probably the young Minister Buzurgmihr, famous for his wisdom and virtue. To celebrate the explanation of a troublesome dream by Buzurgmihr, Nushirwan held a series of seven banquets. The text around this painting describes the fifth banquet.
  • c. 1910-?
    (Georges Demotte [1877-1923], New York, NY)
    Homberg
    ?-1959
    (Mrs. Paul [Marguerite] Mallon [d. 1977], Paris and New York, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art)
    1959-
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1966. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1966. Reproduced: p. 221 archive.org
    The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1969. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1969. Reproduced: p. 221 archive.org
    The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1978. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1978. Reproduced: p. 278 archive.org
    Hillenbrand, Robert. The Great Mongol Shahnama. London, Washington, DC, New Haven, CT: Hali Publications Ltd.; Freer Gallery of Art: Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art; Published in association with Yale University Press, 2022. Mentioned and Reproduced: painting 54
  • Persian Miniature Manuscripts. The Scottish Arts Council Gallery, Edinburgh, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (organizer) (August 13-September 11, 1977).
    The Classical Style in Islamic Painting. The Morgan Library & Museum, New York, NY (organizer) (November 1, 1968-January 4, 1969).
  • {{cite web|title=Persian Verses: The Fortieth Year of King Kisra Nushirwan's Reign and the Story of Buzurgmihr (recto) from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi (940–1019 or 1025)|url=false|author=|year=1330–35|access-date=19 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1959.330.a