The Div Akwan Flings Rustam into the Sea, from the Shahnama of Firdausi
Accession Number
1963/1.53
Title
The Div Akwan Flings Rustam into the Sea, from the Shahnama of Firdausi
Artist(s)
Iranian
Artist Nationality
Iranian
Object Creation Date
circa 1460
Medium & Support
ink, opaque watercolor, and gold leaf on paper
Dimensions
10 1/2 in. x 7 in. ( 26.7 cm x 17.8 cm )
Subject matter
He watered Rakhsh and sank to sleep fordone,
But first ungirthed his steed, took off the saddle
To use its poplar pummel as his pillow,
And spread beside the spring his saddle-cloth
For sleep while Rakhsh to pasturage sped forth.
When from afar Akwan saw Rustam sleeping
He came as swift as wind, delved round about
The place where Rustam lay, and raised it skyward.
…
Then said Akwan to Rustam in his plight:
“Now, elephantine chieftain! take thy choice
To fall upon the mountains or the waves;
So whither shall I fling thee far from men?”
The elephantine hero communed thus:
“In every case naught bettereth artifice.
He will do contrary to what I say;
He will not recognise an oath or keep
A pact. If I say, ‘Throw me in the sea,’
Then will this evil-natured Ahriman*
Fling me upon the mountains, dash me there
To pieces, and destroy me. I must use
Some scheme to make him fling me into water. …”
Physical Description
This Persian miniature is attributed to the Shiraz and Timurid schools, ca. 1460. The painting is done in ink, opaque watercolor and gold leaf on paper. The scene, The Div Akwan Flings Rustam into the Sea, is part of the Shahnama of Firdausi, the Persian book of kings.
Primary Object Classification
Painting
Collection Area
Western
Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.
Keywords
Iranian Islamic painting styles after the Mongols
Iranian Islamic styles after the Mongols
Shahnama
Timurid
Timurid painting styles
calligraphy (visual works)
gold leaf
gouaches (paintings)
miniatures (paintings)
seas
shahs
watercolor painting (technique)
1963/1.53
Title
The Div Akwan Flings Rustam into the Sea, from the Shahnama of Firdausi
Artist(s)
Iranian
Artist Nationality
Iranian
Object Creation Date
circa 1460
Medium & Support
ink, opaque watercolor, and gold leaf on paper
Dimensions
10 1/2 in. x 7 in. ( 26.7 cm x 17.8 cm )
Subject matter
He watered Rakhsh and sank to sleep fordone,
But first ungirthed his steed, took off the saddle
To use its poplar pummel as his pillow,
And spread beside the spring his saddle-cloth
For sleep while Rakhsh to pasturage sped forth.
When from afar Akwan saw Rustam sleeping
He came as swift as wind, delved round about
The place where Rustam lay, and raised it skyward.
…
Then said Akwan to Rustam in his plight:
“Now, elephantine chieftain! take thy choice
To fall upon the mountains or the waves;
So whither shall I fling thee far from men?”
The elephantine hero communed thus:
“In every case naught bettereth artifice.
He will do contrary to what I say;
He will not recognise an oath or keep
A pact. If I say, ‘Throw me in the sea,’
Then will this evil-natured Ahriman*
Fling me upon the mountains, dash me there
To pieces, and destroy me. I must use
Some scheme to make him fling me into water. …”
Physical Description
This Persian miniature is attributed to the Shiraz and Timurid schools, ca. 1460. The painting is done in ink, opaque watercolor and gold leaf on paper. The scene, The Div Akwan Flings Rustam into the Sea, is part of the Shahnama of Firdausi, the Persian book of kings.
Primary Object Classification
Painting
Collection Area
Western
Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.
Keywords
Iranian Islamic painting styles after the Mongols
Iranian Islamic styles after the Mongols
Shahnama
Timurid
Timurid painting styles
calligraphy (visual works)
gold leaf
gouaches (paintings)
miniatures (paintings)
seas
shahs
watercolor painting (technique)
