"The Four Knights of Kai Khusrau in the Mountains", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings)

"The Four Knights of Kai Khusrau in the Mountains", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings)

The manuscript to which this miniature originally belonged not only contained the date the calligrapher completed it, but a dedication to a vizier of the Inju rulers of Shiraz. On this evidence other miniatures of a similar style have been assigned to the workshops of these dynasties. The paintings have a monumental quality, with vigorous though sketchy drawing, a minimum of detail, thinly applied coloring, and usually red or yellow ocher backgrounds, as here. These characteristics suggest the influence of wall painting in the style of the Inju school. While wall paintings from the medieval period no longer exist in Iran, enough examples have survived from various Central Asian sites, with dates ranging from approximately the third to the tenth century, to lend support to this theory.

The old shah Kay Khusrau turned the throne over to his chosen successor, and went up into the mountains with an escort of his closest paladins or hero-knights. There he said farewell and bade them return home for they would see him no more. Some of them obeyed but four decided to wait in the spot where they had last seen the king. There a great deal of snow fell upon them and they perished. This tragic event is portrayed here in a simple and touching fashion. Atmospheric effects rarely appear in Persian painting, but the impact of the painting is not lessend by the absense of the snow.

Mary Lukens Swietochowski in [Berlin 1981]

[ Hassan Khan Monif, New York, until 1936; sold to MMA]

Berlin. Museum für Islamische Kunst, Pergamonmuseum, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin. "The Arts of Islam. Masterpieces from the M.M.A.," June 15, 1981–August 8, 1981, no. 21.

"Masterpieces from The Metropolitan Museum of Art New York." In The Arts of Islam. Berlin, 1981. no. 21, pp. 72–73, ill. p. 73 (b/w).

Swietochowski, Marie, Stefano Carboni, Tomoko Masuya, and Alexander H. Morton. Illustrated Poetry and Epic Images : Persian Painting of the 1330s and 1340s. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1994. p. 86, ill. fig. 27 (b/w).