- 1. Looking at Iran and Central Asian:The Shahnameh
2. Shahnameh (Book of Kings)Epic poem of mythical history of
Iraniankings, in Persian, transmitted orally(continues
today)Recorded in written form by the poet Firdawsi at the court of
the Ghaznavid rulers in Afghanistan, ca. 1010 3. What is the role
of the Shahnameh in(re)writing history in Iran?How was it used by
the Seljuqs,Mongol/Ilkhanids, Timurids & Safavids 4. Simurgh
(magical phoenix-like bird; symbol of royalty in the Shahnameh) on
a luster tile, ca. 1270 possibly from the Mongol palace at Takht-i
Suleyman (Throne ofSolomon) & Bahram Gur hunting with Azada,
Seljuq tile 5. Beaker with thestory of Bijan andManijeh, early 13th
C., Seljuq,minai wareWhat is theimportance ofthis beaker in the
history ofShahnamehillustrations? 6. Like the Seljuqs, the
Ilkhanids used glazed ceramics in a number of ways - for objects
and as applied architectural decoration.What new techniques were
developed in each period? Howdid the application of glazed tiles
work in architecture and how did it vary?Consider the following
uses & techniques:luster (how did it differ from earlier
periods?)lajvardina (= lapis lazuli color with applied gold)minai
(also known as haft awrang = seven colors)checkerboard (also known
as brick-style)The Timurids further elaborated these uses through
the invention of cuerda secca (dry cord) technique 7. Bahram Gur
& the Dragon, illustrations from Mongol (ca.1335) & Timurid
(ca. 1440) Shahnamehs.What is the relationship between text &
illustration, background &figures? Compare color, form &
space. 8. Bahram Gur & the Dragon (detail) 9. Episodes from the
life of Alexander the Great(Iskandar). Iskandars Iron Army (right)
& Bier ofAlexander (left). Mongol Shahnameh, ca. 1335 10.
Universal History (Jami al-Tawarikh) written by the Ilkhanid
minister Rashid al-Din Copy of ca. 1315, Tabriz (western Iran) How
does this work reflect and represent Mongol history?How do the
illustrations compare to those from the Shahnameh of 1335? 11. The
BuddhaOffers Fruit tothe Devil 12. Noah & the Arc 13. The Birth
of the Prophet Muhammad 14. Siege of Baghdad in 1258 15. Bihzad,
Yusuf &Zulaykha, from the Bustan of Sadi, Herat, 1488 Kamal
al-Din Bihzad(born ca. 1450 - died in Tabriz, 1535-6)worked for the
Timurids inHerat Shaybanids in BukharaBrought to Tabriz by Shah
Ismail Safavid 16. Bihzad, At the Public Bath, Herat, 1494 17.
Allegory of Worldy & OtherworldlyDrunkenness, from a
Diwan(Collected Poems) of Hafiz, paintedby Sultan Muhammad, ca.
1526-27,Tabriz 18. Safavid Royal Shahnamehfor Shah Tahmasp 1525-35,
Tabriz 19. Nushirvan & the Owls, from aKhamsah (Quintet or
FiveCollected Poems) of Nizami,for Shah Tahmasp Safavi,1539-43 20.
Reza Abbasi (Court painter of Shah Abbas), Lady with Fan,ca, 1592
& wall painting from Isfahan palace, late 17th C.Development of
single figure & Album painting and new handling ofspace
