AN ILLUSTRATED LEAF FROM A MANUSCRIPT OF FIRDAUSI'S SHAHNAMEH: FARAMARZ (SON OF RUSTAM) IS HANGED BY THE ORDER OF BAHMAN, INDIA, CIRCA 1800 |

gouache heightened with gold on paper, 2 lines of nasta’liq above and below the painting, within 6 columns, the reverse with 17 lines in nasta'liq in black ink in horizontal and diagonal lines, separated by double intercolumnar rules, borders ruled in colours and gold 

In good overall condition, an inch long tear to the right-hand edge of the leaf, some patches of staining to the outer margins on the right-hand side, some small worm holes and light grid-form creasing, as viewed.
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This scene from chapter sixteen of Firdausi's Shahnameh is that of Faramarz, son of Rustam, being executed by Bahman. This chapter comes after Bahman's father Esfiandar has been killed by Rustam. The Shahnameh goes on to describe how Bahman sets off with a large army to avenge his father's death. In the meanwhile however, Rustam had already been treacherously killed by Bahman's half-brother Shagad. Frustrated, Bahman instead kills Rustam's son Faramarz. The style of the drawing seems to be based on the late seventeenth century Isfahan tradition however by looking closely at the miniature, the six-column archaic feature which one associates with the fourteenth century is quite apparent. Equally apparent is the workmanship of the scribe, which shows a steady and clean hand. An overall assessment of the painting's style and composition would indicate that it had been executed in India or possibly Iran during the late eighteenth century. This scene is found in earlier editions of the Shahnameh, more specifically the one in the British Library, London dated to 1719 (Ms 311, folio 087v, see Titley N.M 1977); the Chester Beatty in Dublin from 1548 (Minutoli 134, folio 372v, see Minovi 1960 pg. 78. cat.44), and the Princeton University Library, dated 1544 (Ms 311, folio 408v).