Khusrau Subduing a Lion c. late 15th century

ink

aged paper

toned paper

water colours

handmade artwork painting

ink

tile art

coloured pencil

watercolour bleed

watercolour illustration

watercolor

warm toned green

"Khusrau Subduing a Lion" is an anonymous miniature painting from the late 15th century. It depicts the legendary Persian prince Khusrau wrestling a lion, demonstrating his strength and courage. The painting uses vibrant colors and intricate details to create a dynamic scene, highlighting the contrast between the prince's power and the lion's ferocity. This miniature exemplifies the artistry of Mughal painting and showcases the themes of bravery, conquest, and divine favor that were common in Persian literature and art. The painting, currently housed at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, is a small-scale work measuring 9 15/16 x 2 7/16 inches.

Comments

minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

⋮

Of all Persian poetry, the twelfth-century Khamsa, or Quintet, was second only to the Shah Nama in popularity. Comprised of five romances, the story of Khusrau and Shirin is drawn from the history of the ancient Sassanian kings. The poem recounts the deep love of the monarch Khusrau Paviz (590-628) for a beautiful Armenian princess, Shirin. The Persian poet, Nizami, author of the Khamsa, was keenly interested in exploring the vagaries of human character, and this page illustrates an episode in which Khusrau rescues Shirin by killing a lion with his bare fists in front of her tent.