I absolutely love Persian miniatures, so I researched information for each of these:
The first one is from a 16th century manuscript of Mantaq-ot-Tayr (منطق الطیر), ‘The Conference of the Birds’, by 12th century Persian poet Farid-od-Din Attār or Attār Nišāpuri (عطار نیشاپوری). The art depicts the birds of the poem in their quest for the legendary Simorġ (سیمرغ). Better quality photo.
The second one is from a 16th century manuscript of Haft Awrang (هفت اورنگ), ‘The Seven Thrones’, by 15th century Persian Sufi poet Nur-od-Din Jāmi (نورالدین جامی), also called Mowlānā Jāmi (مولانا جامی). The art depicts a hunting party during which a lord rejects a gift of ducks. It was commissioned by prince Ebrāhim Mirzā (ابراهیم میرزا), a patron of the arts and member of the Safavid dynasty. Better quality photo.
The third one is from a 15th century manuscript of the same poem of 12th century Attār Nišāpuri previously mentioned. It depicts the procession for the funeral of Attār himself, who is said to have suffered a violent death at the hands of the Mongols. The artist is none other than Kamāl-od-Din Behzād (کمالالدین بهزاد) whose production and teachings are a landmark in the history of Persian visual arts. Better quality photo.
The fourth one is from a 16th century manuscript of the Šāhnāme (شاهنامه) or ‘Book of Kings’, the famous epic of 10th century Persian poet Abol-Qāsem Ferdowsi (ابوالقاسم فردوسی). This specific copy of the poem is known as the Šāhnāme-ye Tahmāsebi (شاهنامهی طهماسبی), named thus because it was completed during the reign of Shāh Tahmāseb (or Tahmāsp), the second king of the Safavid dynasty. It was then gifted by the king to Ottoman Sultan Selim II. The art depicts the death of the evil Zahhāk (ضحاک), one of the main antagonists of Ferdowsi’s poem. The artist is Nezām-od-Din Soltān Mohammad (نظامالدین سلطان محمد). Better quality photo.
The fifth one is the same as the third, but with a photo of different quality.
The sixth one is a 16th century miniature attributed to the same Nezām-od-Din Soltān Mohammad previously mentioned. It depicts a scene of Ferdowsi’s 10th century Šāhnāme but doesn’t seem to be part of a known copy of the poem (if you find more info on this hit me up). In this scene, the heroic warrior Rostam (رستم) is sleeping while his faithful horse Raxš (رخش) is battling a lion. Better quality photo.
The seventh one is yet again the depiction of Attār’s ‘The Conference of the Birds’, albeit from a different 15th century manuscript than above. Supposed to illustrate the story of an old man drowning in the sea out of pride, the painting merely represents a group of men gathering firewood. Better quality photo.
The eighth one is a 16th century miniature by artist Kamāl-od-Din Behzād depicting an early 15th century battle between Tamerlane (Timur, تیمور) and the Sultan of Mamluk Egypt. Tamerlane conquered Iran from Central Asia and founded an empire stretching from Anatolia to the Himalayas. Better quality photo.
The ninth one is from the previously mentioned Tahmāseb’s copy of Šāhnāme. It depicts a feast (the legendary origin of the Sade - سده - festival) organized by king Hušang (هوشنگ) to celebrate his discoveries improving the human race (agriculture, domestication, ironworking, fire, etc.). The artist is the previously mentioned Nezām-od-Din Soltān Mohammad. Better quality photo.
The tenth and last one is a wonderful depiction of the Miʿrāj, the “night journey” of Prophet Muḥammad. This story is outlined in the Qur’ān and later recounted in more detail in the Aḥādīṯ. In the present depiction, Muḥammad, led by the angel Jibrīl, is ascending into heaven on the back of al-Burāq, a horse with wings and a human face. Muḥammad’s own face is veiled and his body is bathed in fire (as is often the case in miniature depictions of Islamic holy figures) and winged angels fly around him, bringing him presents. This miniature is to be found in a 16th century manuscript of the Xamse (خمسه), or ‘Five Poems’, of 13th century poet Nezāmi Ganjavi (نظامی گنجوی) - more precisely in the poem Haft Peykar (هفت پیکر), or ‘Seven Portraits’. The artist is, once again, Nezām-od-Din Soltān Mohammad. Better quality photo.
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