"Siyavush Displays his Skill at Polo before Afrasiyab," Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings)

Art Historical Context

This exquisite folio from a *Shahnama* (Book of Kings), the Persian poem by Abu'lasim Firdausi completed 1010 CE, the dramatic moment when the Siyavush demonstrates his of polo before the Turanian king Afrasiyab. to 1341 CE, it hails from a luxurious manuscript produced in Persia during the post-Mongol Ilkhanid era, a time when illustrated epics flourished as symbols of cultural revival and royal patronage. The artist, likely Hasan ibn Muhammad ibn Ali ibn (?) Husaini (known as-Mausili), andigrapher al-Hasan Qawam al-Daula wa'l-Din, brought Firdausi's timeless tales of heroism, betrayal, and valor to vivid life. Rendered in ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper—a hallmark of Persian miniature painting—the 14½ × 11⅞-inch page features a compact painting (3⅜ × 9⁷⁄₁₆ inches) nestled within elegant text blocks. The dynamic composition bursts with galloping horses, poised riders, and intricate gold details, showcasing the period's refined techniques: fine ink outlines, flattened perspectives, and jewel-like colors that evoke a theatrical stage rather than realistic space. Polo, or *chogan*, was more than sport; it embodied noble virtues and was a passion of Persian elites. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Islamic Art Department as part of the Cora Timken Burnett Collection, this folio highlights the *Shahnama*'s enduring role in preserving pre-Islamic Iranian mythology, blending poetry, history, and artistry for generations of admirers.

About the Artist

Abu'l Qasim Firdausi|Hasan ibn Muhammad ibn `Ali ibn (?) Husaini, known as al-Mausili|al-Hasan Qawam al-Daula wa'l-Din · 935–1020

Abu'l Qasim Firdausi, born around 940 in the village of Paj near Tus in Khorasan (modern-day Iran), emerged from a family of landed gentry known as dehqans, who preserved ancient Iranian oral traditions amid the cultural renaissance of the Samanid Empire. Little is documented about his early life or formal training, though he likely received a basic education including Arabic literacy, immersing h...