Arkivism
Bahram Gur Arrives at the House of a Merchant, text page (recto), from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi (940–1019 or 1025), known as the Great Mongol Shahnama
CC0 · no rights reserved

Bahram Gur Arrives at the House of a Merchant, text page (recto), from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi (940–1019 or 1025), known as the Great Mongol Shahnama

1330–35 · opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on paper

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.

About this work

In this intense painting, Bahram Gur plunges his sword into the breast of a dragon. A favorite character from Iran's pre-Islamic history, Bahram Gur (reigned 420–38 CE) was a popular ruler of the Sasanian dynasty and a great hunter. He took the name "Gur," meaning onager (a wild ass), because it was his preferred game, although he also excelled at killing dragons. As evidenced by this illustration's rock formations, tree trunk, and dragon, Iranian painting in the Mongol period borrowed numerous stylistic and spatial elements from Chinese models. With the surging landscape and writhing dragon rendered with equal energy, this is a picture of extraordinary unity and concentration.

Cleveland Museum of Art’s own description
Credit lineBahram Gur Arrives at the House of a Merchant, text page (recto), from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi (940–1019 or 1025), known as the Great Mongol Shahnama, 1330–35. Iran, Tabriz, Ilkhanid period (1256-1353). Opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on paper; sheet: 45.8 x 34.4 cm (18 1/16 x 13 9/16 in.); image: 19.5 x 29.5 cm (7 11/16 x 11 5/8 in.); text area: 41 x 29.5 cm (16 1/8 x 11 5/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Grace Rainey Rogers Fund, 1943.658.a
Open in Explore View at source

Similar works

Persian Verses: The Fortieth Year of King Kisra Nushirwan's Reign and the Story of Buzurgmihr (recto) from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi (940–1019 or 1025)Persian Verses: The Fortieth Year of King Kisra Nushirwan's Reign and the Story of Buzurgmihr (recto) from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi (940–1019 or 1025) Bahram Chubineh captured by Khusrau Parviz (verso), from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi (940–1019 or 1025)Bahram Chubineh captured by Khusrau Parviz (verso), from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi (940–1019 or 1025) The Tale of the Twelve Faces. "Bizhan Addresses the Army": Illustration from the Firdausi Shahnama (recto)The Tale of the Twelve Faces. "Bizhan Addresses the Army": Illustration from the Firdausi Shahnama (recto) Text Page, Persian Verses (recto) from the Shahnama of FirdawsiText Page, Persian Verses (recto) from the Shahnama of Firdawsi Text page of Negai no itoguchiText page of Negai no itoguchi Two Late Mughal LettersTwo Late Mughal Letters