Moʿin Moṣavver | Manuscripts | Ḵamsa of Neẓāmi

Manuscript K2, no. 4-17

Eskandar Assumes His Father's Place on the Throne

Ḵamsa, Poem 4, Eskandarnāma (Šarafnāma), Canto 17
Location: Nasser D. Khalili Collection of Islamic Art, London, MSS.1220.7
Page: 33.9 x 20.7 cm (after Sotheby's)
Text area: 25 x 14 cm (scaled)
Painting: 12.5 x 14 cm (scaled)
Text: four column; 12 lines on a 25 line per full page matrix.
Signature: Not signed

When Eskandar assumed the throne of his father Faylikus (Phillip of Macedonia) he vowed to honor and continue all of the exemplary ways of his father, and to stamp his will on the world as if it was soft wax. This he did.

The illustration shows Eskandar seated on a throne on the right; before him is a dignitary, quite possibly Aristotle, his chief advisor. Curiously. the dignitary wears an Ottoman style headdress. Moʿin, not being familiar with the styles of the time of Alexander, has used instead a contemporary equivilent to designate "Rum". Two ceremonial sword bearers are in the upper right, two servants holding flasks of wine in the upper left, and two dignitaries of the court in the lower right bear witness to the scene.

Painting references:
Sotheby's (London) Sale, 3 May 2001, Lot 47, Iskandarnama no. 1
Sotheby's (London) Sale, 10 October 2006, Lot 34, Iskandarnama no. 1
Sotheby's (London) Sale, 22 April 2015, Lot 117 no. 1 of 2 (ill.)

Text references:
Persian.Packham.org: (Eskandar-nama, p.153ff, Canto XVII)

Photo courtesy of Sothebys, with publication permission of the © Nour Foundation and the Khalili Family Trust.

Robert Eng
Last Updated: 31 October 2016 | Originally published: 31 October 2016