Ask the Scholar
Document scope · 1 page
Scholar
Ask about this object, its catalog metadata, its source description, or the page inventory.
For page-specific OCR and visual context, open one of the page chats.
Source Description
Walters manuscript W.600 is an illuminated and illustrated Safavid copy of the Book of kings (Shahnamah) by Firdawsi (died 411 or 416 AH/AD 1020-1025), dating to the 10th century AH/AD 16th. The text is largely written in black Nasta'liq script with headings in blue on a polychrome ground. The codex opens with an illuminated medallion (fol. 1a), followed by a double-page illuminated frontispiece (fols. 1b-2a), poorly preserved. The preface, ordered by Baysunghur in 829 AH/AD 1425-1426, begins on fol. 2b. The Shahnamah text begins on fol. 14b with an inscribed illuminated titlepiece. It is divided into 2 parts. Eighteen paintings illustrate the text. The black lacquer binding with lobed central ovals and pendants is not contemporary with the manuscript and dates to the 13th century AH/AD 19th.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
30030
label
Book of Kings (Shahnama)
core
obj
dtoType
object
citationUrl
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
30030
sourceUrl
contentType
object
stage
normalized
title
Book of Kings (Shahnama)
description
Walters manuscript W.600 is an illuminated and illustrated Safavid copy of the Book of kings (Shahnamah) by Firdawsi (died 411 or 416 AH/AD 1020-1025), dating to the 10th century AH/AD 16th. The text is largely written in black Nasta'liq script with headings in blue on a polychrome ground. The codex opens with an illuminated medallion (fol. 1a), followed by a double-page illuminated frontispiece (fols. 1b-2a), poorly preserved. The preface, ordered by Baysunghur in 829 AH/AD 1425-1426, begins on fol. 2b. The Shahnamah text begins on fol. 14b with an inscribed illuminated titlepiece. It is divided into 2 parts. Eighteen paintings illustrate the text. The black lacquer binding with lobed central ovals and pendants is not contemporary with the manuscript and dates to the 13th century AH/AD 19th.
provenance
Ahmad [date and mode of acquisition unknown] [seal impression with name on fol. 1a]; Unknown owner, 1789 [mode of acquisition unknown] [ownership entry dated 12 Jumadá I 1204 AH/AD 1789 on fol. 1a]; Henry Walters, Baltimore [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
date
10th century AH/AD 16th century (Safavid)
citationUrl
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
illuminated manuscripts
imageCount
1
pageCount
1
source
import
dimensions
units
cm
width
32.5
height
19
dimensionsRaw
Folio H: 12 13/16 x W: 7 1/2 in. (32.5 x 19 cm); Closed H: 13 × W: 8 7/16 × D: 3 3/16 in. (33 × 21.5 × 8.1 cm); Open H: 13 × W: 14 9/16 × D: 6 1/8 in. (33 × 37 × 15.5 cm)
Source extras
cul
Islamic
dynasty
Safavid Dynasty
RelatedObjects
85648
83489
83485
83488
83484
83483
83482
83481
83480
83479
83487
83478
83477
83476
83475
83474
83473
83472
83471
83470
83469
83468
83486
83467
83466
83465
83464
med
ink and pigments on laid paper covered with black lacquer with gold
creator_ids
7768
collection_ids
MSS
ISL
MIS
exhibition_ids
29
3171
3300
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
d3f8d3b394d93dde