Bahrām Gur Snatches the Crown from Between Two Lions

Location: Aga Khan Museum, Toronto, AKM00444. Formerly in the Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan Collection, no. Ir.M 43/D
Page: 35.9 x 21.9 cm (after AKM)
Painting: 24.0 x 12.5 cm (after AKM)
Text area: 24.0 x 12.5 cm

Welch has included this page with others from ms.E, then in the Collection of Prince Saddrudin Aqa Khan, claiming it to be another page from the manuscript, and the painting by Moʿin. He also states the dimensions to be 29.5 x 15.2 cm., but gives no reference points of what these dimensions measure.

Both the page size and text area size given by AKM are narrower in width than the typical dimensions of pages in Ms. E. The more elongated shape is readily visible in the illustration. In addition the text seems to be written on a 26 line per page matrix, four lines shorter than ms.E. The conspicuous absence of the marginal sequence number is another reason for doubt. And lastly, the unsigned painting is not at all in the style of Moʿin or even his workshop; rather it appears to be another follower of Reża-ye ʿAbbāsi.

Painting references:
Welch, AK2, Ir.M 43/D

Text references:
Warner, VI, pp.409-411.

Photo courtesy of Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan

Robert Eng
Last Updated: May 27, 2013| Originally published: May 27, 2013