The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 13, 2025

Text of Rustam and Suhrab, from the Shah-nama of Firdausi (Persian, c. 934–1020) (verso)

c. 1610

India, Bijapur, Deccan

Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
Page: 20.5 x 12.4 cm (8 1/16 x 4 7/8 in.); Text field: 13.3 x 6.8 cm (5 1/4 x 2 11/16 in.)
Gift in honor of Madeline Neves Clapp; Gift of Mrs. Henry White Cannon by exchange; Bequest of Louise T. Cooper; Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund; From the Catherine and Ralph Benkaim Collection 2013.283.2.b
Location: Not on view

Description

This page of text from the jewel-like copy of the Shah-nama made in the southern Indian city of Bijapur describes the events leading to Rustam’s accidental slaying of his own son Suhrab. The larger text in red is a chapter heading, which reads: “The single combat between Rustam and Suhrab once more.”
  • Art and Stories from Mughal India. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (July 31-October 23, 2016).
  • {{cite web|title=Text of Rustam and Suhrab, from the Shah-nama of Firdausi (Persian, c. 934–1020) (verso)|url=false|author=|year=c. 1610|access-date=13 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2013.283.2.b