"Rudaba Makes a Ladder of Her Tresses", Folio 72v from the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp

Art Historical Context

This exquisite folio comes from the celebrated *Shahnama* (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp, one of the most lavish illustrated manuscripts ever created in Persia. Painted around 1525 by the artist Qadimi, it depicts a tender moment from the epic romance between the hero Zal and the beautiful princess Rudaba. In the scene, Rudaba famously lowers her long tresses from a tower, creating a living ladder so her beloved can climb to her—an act of courage and devotion drawn from the 10th-century poet Firdausi’s masterpiece. Created during the reign of the Safavid ruler Shah Tahmasp I, this page belongs to a royal project that employed the finest painters, calligraphers, and illuminators of the time. The use of opaque watercolor, ink, gold, and silver on paper highlights the refined Safavid court style, with its jewel-like colors, delicate patterning, and luminous metallic details that catch the light as the page is turned. As part of the Metropolitan Museum’s Islamic Art collection, the folio offers visitors a glimpse into how Persian literature, poetry, and visual art were intertwined to celebrate heroism, love, and kingship. The manuscript’s extraordinary scale and quality made it a treasure of the royal library, reflecting both spiritual and worldly ideals of the era.

About the Artist

Qadimi|Abu'l Qasim Firdausi (Iranian|Iranian) · 1500 |0935 –1590 |1020

Iranian, active ca. 1525–1565|Iranian, Paj ca. 940/41–1020 Tus