An illustrated leaf from a manuscript of Firdausi's Shahnama, depicting Bahram Gur in combat with two lions in order to gain the throne

Mughal, attributed to Mirza Ghulam, circa 1610

Footnotes

This leaf derives from an early Mughal manuscript of the Shahnama illustrated by Mughal-trained artists, some of whom worked in a Persian style, such as Mirza Ghulam, Dawud, Dadar Kashmiri, Muhammad Pandat and Haidar Kashmiri. The artist of the painting here, Mirza Ghulam, was trained under Aqa Riza while both worked in the service of Prince Salim in Allahabad from 1599-1604 before transferring to the imperial atelier in Agra under the Emperor Jahangir from 1605-10. Extant paintings by Mirza Ghulam suggest that he was trained in the Persian tradition like his mentor (see A. Okada, Imperial Mughal Painters, Paris 1992, pp. 111-116, figs. 121-125).

In this painting, the plain rocky hillside in the centre of the composition recalls Bukharan 16th Century painting (compare an illustration to Layla and Majnun in the Louvre, inv.no. MAO 713). However, the rounded faces of the figures look Safavid, and the architecture of the town at upper left is Mughal-inspired.

Six illustrations from the manuscript from the Brunet Collection were sold at Sotheby's, London, 13 July 1971, lots 138-140 (lot 138 now in the Cleveland Museum of Art, acc.no. 2013.314) and 7 December 1971, lots 54-56. Most identify the name of the artist, sometimes accompanied by a number, in the margin.

For another leaf from the same manuscript, illustrated by Mirza Ghulam, see Christie's, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds, 24th October 2024, lot 147.