The myths and heroic tales of the Persian epic Shahnameh are well known, but what about the vivid illustrations that decorate manuscripts of this beloved work? Before the arrival of the printing press, scribes hand-copied books line by line, following dictation or copying directly from an earlier manuscript. But this written element is only part of the story. Today, we highlight brightly colored illustrations in manuscripts of the Shahnameh (The Book of Kings), an epic poem written by Ferdowsi between 977 and 1010 CE. Manuscripts of this work from the 15th to 19th centuries reveal brilliant illustrations, carefully painted scenes in miniature. Let’s zoom in close, as the level of detail is particularly impressive.

Shahnameh, the National Epic of Iran

Close-up of an illustration showing a horseman slaying a dragon, that was taken from a manuscript of the Shahnameh. "Chanameh. Ferdowsi," folio 407r, at the Bibliotheque national de France (BnF).
Close-up of folio 407r, in “Chânâmeh. Ferdowsi,” from the Bibliothèque nationale de France.

The Shahnameh (Book of Kings) is an epic poem that tells the story of early Persia from its early mythology through the pre-Islamic and Sassanid eras, ending with the Muslim conquest in the 7th century. Over the course of 50,000 couplets, this work recounts the creation of the world and the first man, the deeds and battles of heroes like the legendary Rustam, and the tales of Sassanian kings. The Persian poet Abu al-Qasim Ferdowsi (also spelled Firdawsi) spent over 30 years on this epic before presenting it to Sultan Mahmud, the ruler of Ghaznavid dynasty. This work was widely read in the Persian-speaking world. In fact, scribes continued to transcribe (and illustrate) new copies in Persia, India and Central Asia well into the 18th and 19th centuries.

The five manuscripts below stretch from the 15th to 19th centuries. Their illustrations show one-on-one combat, battles between larger armies, heroes slaying dragons and wild animals, and scenes of royal life. Zooming in on each image, we see that the intricate details and vibrant color palettes used by the artists.

In manuscript one, for instance, look at the delicately patterned fabric of the king’s throne and robe. And decorations adorn the edges of the page of manuscript two, where the artist sketched birds and plants in light shades of brown. In manuscript three, a horseman brutally cleaves another’s head in two, while the intense variety of color in manuscript four helps the reader distinguish individuals in the tumult of battle. Finally, in manuscript five, thin lines trace the stripes of the tiger as streams of red show the blood pouring from its wounds. Look for small details like these in the pictures below.

Manuscript One, published in Shiraz around 1490

Close-up of an illustration showing two men in hand-to-hand combat, that was taken from a manuscript of the Shahnameh. "Chanameh. Ferdowsi," folio 28r, at the Bibliotheque national de France (BnF).
Close-up of folio 28r in “Chânâmeh. Ferdowsi” at the Bibliothèque nationale de France.
A full page view of folio 22r that was taken from a manuscript of the Shahnameh. "Chanameh. Ferdowsi," at the Bibliotheque national de France (BnF).
Full page view of folio 22r in “Chânâmeh. Ferdowsi” at the Bibliothèque nationale de France.
Close-up of an illustration showing a man presenting a gift to a king, that was taken from a manuscript of the Shahnameh. "Chanameh. Ferdowsi," folio 22r, at the Bibliotheque national de France (BnF).
Close-up of the previous picture (folio 22r).

Manuscript Two, published in Shiraz in 1597

Close-up of an illustration showing musicians at a royal court, that was taken from a manuscript of the Shahnameh. "Châhnâmeh. Ferdowsi. Autres épopéees," folio 72v, at the Bibliotheque national de France (BnF).
Closeup of folio 72v in “Châhnâmeh. Ferdowsi. Autres épopéees” at the Bibliothèque nationale de France.
A full page view of folio 9r that shows people working a field, surrounded by birds and flowers along the page's edges. Taken from a manuscript of the Shahnameh. "Châhnâmeh. Ferdowsi. Autres épopéees," at the Bibliotheque national de France (BnF).
Full page view of folio 9r in “Châhnâmeh. Ferdowsi. Autres épopéees” at the Bibliothèque nationale de France.
Close-up of the edge of a page, showing birds and flowers, that was taken from a manuscript of the Shahnameh. "Châhnâmeh. Ferdowsi. Autres épopéees," folio 9r, at the Bibliotheque national de France (BnF).
Closeup of the previous picture (folio 9r).

Manuscript Three, published in Isfahan from 1615-1618

Close-up of an illustration showing a hero and a monster, that was taken from a manuscript of the Shahnameh. "Chahnameh. Ferdowsi," folio 98v, at the Bibliotheque national de France (BnF).
Closeup of folio 98v in “Chahnameh. Ferdowsi” at the Bibliothèque nationale de France.
A full page view of folio 36r that was taken from a manuscript of the Shahnameh. "Chahnameh. Ferdowsi," folio 36r, at the Bibliotheque national de France (BnF).
Full page view of folio 36r in “Chahnameh. Ferdowsi” at the Bibliothèque nationale de France.
Close-up of an illustration showing a horseman chopping through the head of an enemy soldier, that was taken from a manuscript of the Shahnameh. "Chahnameh. Ferdowsi," folio 36r, at the Bibliotheque national de France (BnF).
Closeup of the previous picture (folio 36r).

Manuscript Four, published in India in the 17th or 18th century

Close-up of an illustration showing soldiers and a mounted elephant, that was taken from a manuscript of the Shahnameh. "Shah-nameh by Firdausi," image 481, at the Library of Congress.
Closeup of image 481 in “Shah-nameh by Firdausi” at the Library of Congress.
A full page view of folio 36r that was taken from a manuscript of the Shahnameh. "Shah-nameh by Firdausi," image 406, at the Library of Congress.
Full page view of image 406 in “Shah-nameh by Firdausi” at the Library of Congress.
Close-up of an illustration showing a battle, that was taken from a manuscript of the Shahnameh. "Shah-nameh by Firdausi," image 406, at the Library of Congress.
Closeup of the previous picture (image 406).

Manuscript Five, published in Kashmir, India in 1842

Close-up of an illustration showing royalty and staff outdoors, that was taken from a manuscript of the Shahnameh. "Shāhnāmah," image 909, at the Library of Congress.
Closeup of image 909 in “Shāhnāmah,” at the Library of Congress.
A full page view of image 680 that was taken from a manuscript of the Shahnameh. "Shāhnāmah," image 406, at the Library of Congress.
Full page view of image 680 in “Shāhnāmah” at the Library of Congress.
Close-up of an illustration showing a horseman killing a tiger, that was taken from a manuscript of the Shahnameh. "Shāhnāmah," image 680, at the Library of Congress.
Closeup of the previous picture (image 680).

What Next?

First, read more — there are a number of excellent translations of the Shahnameh. Ahmad Sadri’s version, paired with extraordinary art by Hamid Rahmanian, includes lush images in the style of the old manuscript illustrations, as well as an abridged translation of the Persian text. Dick Davis’ 2016 translation is a great option as well, also abridged. For the full epic, see the upcoming eight-volume set by Djalal Khaleghi Motlagh that draws on the oldest manuscripts and critical commentaries.

Then share your thoughts here! What illustrations caught your eye? What questions or comments do you have? I’d love to hear what you think about the Shahnameh and the painted illustrations that accompany this epic poem. Put your ideas in the comment box below or write to me directly.

Lastly, check out the vast array of other things we’ve studied on this blog. Recent posts visit historic buildings in Marrakesh, discuss the natural diversity of Fujairah in the UAE, and also highlight the stunning work of the cultural magazine AramcoWorld. Stop by now to take a look, then come visit us again soon!