"Meeting of Bahram Gur with a Princess", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) 1525 - 1575

Curator: What an utterly charming piece this is! We’re looking at "Meeting of Bahram Gur with a Princess," a folio from the Shahnama, or Book of Kings. Crafted between 1525 and 1575, it offers a beautiful window into Persian miniature painting and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The poetry is by Abu'l Qasim Firdausi. Editor: It gives off the feeling of a meticulously arranged stage play. I'm drawn to the patterned landscape; it's flat, almost like cardboard cutouts layered one behind another. The characters appear deliberately positioned within this shallow space. Curator: Exactly! The landscape, rendered in watercolour and ink, becomes a sort of dreamscape, right? Not quite reality but something richer, full of symbol and suggestion. Look at how Bahram Gur, the figure on the black horse, cuts through the throng! Editor: And what's interesting is how little spatial recession there is. All the figures, whether near or far, have almost equal clarity, almost as if asserting their equal importance in the narrative. Curator: Think of these Shahnameh illustrations as ancient graphic novels; they were tools for storytelling and instruction. And each element, from the angle of Bahram's crown to the colour of the princess's gown, carried significant meaning. Editor: It's quite different from what we consider perspectival depth. There’s a calculated flatness here. The text boxes almost act like walls closing in the space. The composition almost ignores natural perspective for symbolic articulation. The horse that prince Bahram sits upon is drawn, seemingly to show each leg equally. Curator: And don’t even get me started on the sheer number of folks populating this tiny, tiny little frame, It feels celebratory, as if all elements conspire to declare, “Behold a most wonderful tale!” But despite the visual pomp, there is a profound emotional sincerity embedded within these carefully wrought details. It is amazing they have so much detail within a miniature artwork! Editor: Yes, after closer study, I find the geometric structuring principles here really contribute to a formal harmony. And with that understanding comes emotional impact that sneaks up. Curator: The formal and emotional, dancing in a Persian miniature; it's quite beautiful.