Ferdowsi, Shahnameh
Inju: Shiraz, manuscript commissioned March 1341
Patron: Qavam al-Dowleh w’al-Din Hasan, vizier to the governor of Fars
Scribe: Hasan b. Mohammad b. ‘Ali Hoseyni al-Mowsili
Opaque watercolours, ink and gold on paper
Private Collection, III.4
As in No. 18, Rostam is approached by Tahmineh, the daughter of the King of Samagan in whose castle the hero is spending the night. Tahmineh, presumably the lady on the right (the other lady is her attendant), is a determined figure. The inclusion of an exterior brick wall enhances the notion that the spectator is getting a glimpse into an intimate scene. The candle that rises into the lines of text is suggestive of Rostam’s response.
