Zal Climbing to Rudaba, page from a copy of the Shahnama of Firdausi
Safavid dynasty (1501–1722), dated 1580/90
Medium
Opaque watercolor and gold on paper
Dimensions
26 × 17 cm (10 1/4 × 6 3/4 in.)
Classification
miniature painting
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
120662
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Among the most beautiful examples of Islamic art are the illuminated manuscripts from Persia that portray legendary tales of heroism, love, and adventure. Zal Courting Rudabahis a page from a 16th-century version of the Book of Kings,the national epic of Persia. Below the lovers seen on the balcony are attendants, animals, architecture, flowering plants, and calligraphy (revered as an art form throughout the Islamic world), all carefully integrated into a rich, overall pattern. The painting's je...
About the Artist
Islamic
Islamic art, a profound visual tradition originating in the 7th century CE, flourished across vast territories from Spain to India under Muslim rule, encompassing architecture, ceramics, manuscripts, textiles, and metalwork produced by diverse artisans rather than a single named master. Drawing from pre-Islamic Sasanian, Byzantine, and late antique influences, its early development under the Umayy...