"Marriage of Khusrau and Shirin", Folio 104 from a Khamsa (Quintet) of Nizami of Ganja
dated A.H. 931/1524–25 CE
Medium
Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper
Dimensions
Painting: H. 7 in. (17.8 cm) W. 4 3/4 in. (12.1 cm) Page: H. 12 5/8 in. (32.1 cm) W. 8 3/4 in. (22.2 cm) Mat: H. 19 1/4 in. (48.9 cm) W. 14 1/4 in. (36.2 cm)
Classification
Codices
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Alexander Smith Cochran, 1913
Accession Number
13.228.7.6
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite folio from a 1524–25 Persian manuscript of Nizami Ganjavi’s Khamsa captures the joyful marriage of the Sasanian prince Khusrau and the Armenian princess Shirin, a beloved episode from one of the most celebrated romantic epics in Persian literature. Created during the early Safavid period, the painting reflects the era’s refined courtly culture, where poetry, storytelling, and visual art intertwined to celebrate themes of love, devotion, and royal union. Executed in ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper, the work exemplifies the collaborative nature of Persian manuscript pro...