Bahram Gur Slays a Dragon (verso), from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi (940–1019 or 1025), known as the Great Mo

The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Bahram Gur Slays a Dragon (verso), from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi (940–1019 or 1025), known as the Great Mo as manuscript (Iran, Tabriz, Ilkhanid period (1256-1353) · 1330–35).

WHY IT’S INTERESTING

The monumental Great Mongol Shahnama was commissioned by a ruler of the Ilkhanid dynasty, which governed the southwestern part of the Mongol Empire.

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A CLOSER LOOK

The museum identifies this manuscript as opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on paper.

The museum's collection notes: 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 ex

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The Cleveland Museum of ArtBahram Gur Slays a Dragon (verso), from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi (940–1019 or 1025), known as the Great Mo

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