id: 135808 accession number: 1959.330.b share license status: CC0 url: https://clevelandart.org/art/1959.330.b updated: 2022-06-25 09:00:39.117000 Portrait of Nushirwan the Just (verso) from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi (940–1019 or 1025), 1330-35. Iran, Tabriz, Ilkhanid period (1256-1353). Opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on paper; sheet: 59.3 x 40.2 cm (23 3/8 x 15 13/16 in.); image: 24 x 22 cm (9 7/16 x 8 11/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, John L. Severance Fund 1959.330.b title: Portrait of Nushirwan the Just (verso) from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi (940–1019 or 1025) title in original language: series: series in original language: creation date: 1330-35 creation date earliest: 1330 creation date latest: 1335 current location: creditline: John L. Severance Fund copyright: --- culture: Iran, Tabriz, Ilkhanid period (1256-1353) technique: opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on paper department: Islamic Art collection: Islamic Art type: Manuscript find spot: catalogue raisonne: --- CREATORS --- measurements: Sheet: 59.3 x 40.2 cm (23 3/8 x 15 13/16 in.); Image: 24 x 22 cm (9 7/16 x 8 11/16 in.) state of the work: edition of the work: support materials: inscriptions: inscription: Script: Naskh translation: remark: --- CURRENT EXHIBITIONS title: The Classical Style in Islamic Painting opening date: 1968-11-01T05:00:00 The Classical Style in Islamic Painting. The Morgan Library & Museum, New York, NY (organizer) (November 1, 1968-January 4, 1969). title: Persian Miniature Manuscripts opening date: 1977-08-13T04:00:00 Persian Miniature Manuscripts. The Scottish Arts Council Gallery, Edinburgh, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (organizer) (August 13-September 11, 1977). title: Islamic art rotation opening date: 2013-12-16T05:00:00 Islamic art rotation. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (December 16, 2013-December 15, 2014). --- LEGACY EXHIBITIONS * --- PROVENANCE (Georges Demotte [1877-1923], New York, NY) date: c. 1910-? footnotes: citations: Homberg date: footnotes: citations: (Mrs. Paul [Marguerite] Mallon [d. 1977], Paris and New York, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art) date: ?-1959 footnotes: citations: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH date: 1959- footnotes: citations: --- fun fact: digital description: wall 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.

Seated on the throne in the center of the painting is 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. --- RELATED WORKS --- CITATIONS The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1966. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1966. page number: Reproduced: p. 221 url: https://archive.org/details/CMAHandbook1966/page/n245 The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1969. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1969. page number: Reproduced: p. 221 url: https://archive.org/details/CMAHandbook1969/page/n245 The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1978. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1978. page number: Reproduced: p. 278 url: https://archive.org/details/CMAHandbook1978/page/n298 --- IMAGES web: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1959.330.b/1959.330.b_web.jpg print: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1959.330.b/1959.330.b_print.jpg full: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1959.330.b/1959.330.b_full.tif