The Demon Akvān Flings Rostam into the Sea
The subject is a popular choice amongst illustrations of the Shahnama; the composition follows the traditional rendering of the scene. It depicts the precise moment in the story when Akvān had raised Rostam, still sleeping on the patch of earth, over his head and is about to cast him into the sea. The div Akvān, wearing only a skirt and braclets on its arms and legs, has humanoid characteristics of large and muscular proportions, combined with horns, a tail, claws, and is rendered in a brilliant red, which clashes disturbingly with the strong purple hillside immediate behind him. Standing with its legs wide apart, the div raises the bewildered Rostam, still reclining on a chunk of earth, above its head and is about to cast him asunder. His faithful horse Raḵš is nowhere to be seen. In the extreme foreground is a suggestion of the sea into which Rostam is about to be dispatched.
Page: 35.4 x 21.8 cm.
Written surface: 28.7 x 14.3 cm.
Text is written on a diagonal above and below the painting and on the right side; the diagonal text on the lower half of the page is at the opposite incline from that on the top half. In addition, there are small blocks of four column horizontal text inside the inner frame. Gilt interlinear decoration permeates the text. The painting is reportedly signed in the lower margin by Moʿin Moṣavver,
For a later version of this subject by Moʿin, see Ms.G f170.
Location:
The Israel Musem, Jerusalem #B69-0554. Formerly in the Davud Collection.
Painting references:
Milstein,Israel_1984, p.87, no.66 (ill.).
Cambridge Shahnameh Project
Text references: Warner, III, pp.276-78; Mohl, III, pp.222-23; Levy, pp.148-49.
Robert Eng
Last Updated: April 7, 2011. | Originally published: April 7, 2011
