The Shahnama of Shah Tahmasp : the Persian Book of kings
Texte imprimé
- Auteurs : Firdawsī Abū al-Qāsim (0940-1020) ; Canby Sheila R. ; Mariani Phil ;
- Editeurs : New York New Haven [etc.] Metropolitan Museum of Art Yale University Press ;
- Date d'édition : 2011
- ISBN : 978-1-58839-436-1, 1-58839-436-0, 978-1-58839-437-8, 1-58839-437-9, 978-0-300-17586-8, 0-300-17586-8, 978-0-300-17942-2, 0-300-17942-1
- Sujets : Enluminure iranienne, Firdausī, 940-1020, Firdawsī, Abū al-Qāsim (0940-1020), Tahmāsp (Iran, Schah, I.)., Tahmāsp, Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Comprend : Persian Book of kings
- Langue(s) : Anglais
- Description matérielle : 1 vol. (287 p.), : Ill. en coul., fac-sim., couv. ill., 45 cm
- Pays de publication : États-Unis
- Collection (notice d'ensemble) : [Metropolitan Museum of Art series]
Notes
Publié à l'occasion de l'ouverture des galeries d'art des pays arabes, Turquie, Iran, Asie centrale, et plus tard Asie du Sud au Metropolitan Museum of Art de New York, le 1er novembre 2011 ; Bibliogr. p. 287
Résumé
The publication of this book commemorates the one thousandth anniversary of the completion of the Shahnama, the Persian national epic, which was written down in more than 50,000 couplets by the poet Firdausi. It also celebrates the most lavishly illustrated version of this text, a manuscript produced for the Safavid Shah Tahmasp, who ruled Iran from 1524 to 1576 ; With its 50,000 rhyming couplets the Shahnama, or 'Book of Kings,' is one of the most voluminous epics of world literature. The poem narrates the history of the ancient kings of Iran from the mythical beginnings to the Arab conquest in 651 A.D. It was completed around 1010 A.D. by Abu'l Qasim Firdausi Tusi (935-1020), and was dedicated to the Ghaznavid ruler Mahmud of Ghazna (r. 998-1030), who had succeeded in gaining power over eastern Iran and modern-day Afghanistan by the end of the tenth century. In the eyes of the poet, this king appeared as the long-awaited ruler who could end dynastic strife and reunify the region. Thus, he seemed the ideal dedicatee for a work meant to celebrate Iran's past glory. Unfortunately, the ruler's response was not as enthusiastic and generous as expected. According to some sources, before dying, the poor and sick Firdausi voiced his disappointment for the little compensation received in a harsh satire against the sultan