189. Bahram Gur Fights the Karg, folio from the Great Il-Khanid Shahnama. Islamic; Persian, IlKhanid. c. 1330-1340 CE Ink and opaque watercolor, gold and silver on paper.

Form

-Large painted surface area; calligraphy on the top and bottom frame the image -Areas of flat color -Spatial recession indicated by the overlapping planes -Atmospheric perspective is seen in the light-bluish background

Content

--Bahram Gur was an ancient Iranian king from the Sassanian dynasty -He represents the ideal king; wears a crown and a golden halo. -Cross-cultural influences: Bahram Gur wears a garment of European fabric; Chinese landscape conventions can be seen in the background; these aspects connect the painting with trade along the Silk Road.

Function

-Bahram Gur symbolizes just rule and civilized society triumphing over chaos and disorder, represented by the Karg.

Context

Additional Information

--Because of its lavish production, it is assumed to have been commissioned by a high-ranking member of the Ilkhanid court -Folio from the text called the Great Ilkanid Shahnama, or the Book of Kings, a Persian epic -Originally one of 28- folios by several different artists; 57 pages survive.