Wedding celebration of Zal and Rudaba (painting, recto; text, verso), folio from a manuscript of the Shahnama by Firdawsi

Unknown (Iranian)

Item type:

manuscript, codex, scroll

Date of creation:

1562

Height:

37.2 cm  (14 5/8 in.)

Width:

23.9 cm  (9 7/16 in.)

Technique / Medium:

ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper

Place of creation:

Shīrāz (Fārs, Īrān)

School:

Safavid

Description

The many stories of Zal and Rudaba are known from the epic poem Shahnameh by the Persian poet Ferdowsi (ca. 940–1020). The recto side of this manuscript page offers three colorful scenes related to their marriage. The central one shows a scene from the wedding day itself and includes dancers and musicians. Tambourines are visible. The verso side contains text, and shows bleed-though shadows of the painted scenes on the recto side.

Iconclass

48C753
more than one musician with instrument
43C94
group dancing
42D253
dancing at a wedding feast

Instruments [MIMO Code] (notes)

Tambourine [2746]

RIdIM images

Image URLs

image link 1

Notes

Description from museum website: This festive painting depicts the marriage of the Iranian prince Zal to Rudaba, daughter of Mihrab, the king of Kabul. The vibrantly colored and dynamically composed scene is filled with lively vignettes, including a circle of female musicians and dancers who wave their long sleeves as they circle in front of the newly wedded couple. The palace interior is brightly tiled in various geometric patterns. In the lower left corner, Mihrab, in the company of Zal’s father, Sam, is about to join the celebratory party. The numerous torches and candles held by attendants and servants indicate that the event takes place at night. Mika M. Natif

RIdIM record id

5784