An artwork on Galleree from Cleveland Museum of Art.
About the artwork
Rustam's seventh course: He kills the White Div, folio 124 from a Shah-nama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi (Persian, about 934–1020)1520–40
Mir Musavvir
This spectacular painting, both lyrical and fierce, comes from one of the greatest Iranian manuscripts ever produced. The royal copy of the national Iranian epic, the <em>Shahnama</em>, or Book of Kings, was made for Shah Tahmasp during the 1520s and 1540s. The book was even acclaimed in its own day for "the coloring and the portraiture" found in its 258 paintings. <br><br>The legendary hero Rustam, identified by his tiger-skin clothing, kills the savage chief of the demons, the White Div, in an immense cave, as other demons watch from above. Completing this last of seven trials, Rustam uses the White Div's blood to cure the Iranian king Kay Kavus of his blindness. The painting is set in a spectacular spring landscape with blossoming trees and brilliantly colored rocks that bend like spectators: <br><br>They wrestled, tearing out each other's flesh, <br>Till all the ground was puddled with their blood... <br>[Rustam] reached out, clutched the Div, raised him neck-high, <br>And dashed the life-breath from him on the ground, <br>Then with a dagger stabbed him to the heart <br>And plucked the liver from his swarthy form: <br>The carcass filled the cave, and all the world <br>Was like a sea of blood...
The <em>Shahnameh</em> is a mixture of a mythology and a history of the Iranian people.
Gum tempera, ink, gold, and silver on paper
Sheet: 47.5 x 32.2 cm (18 11/16 x 12 11/16 in.); Image: 28.4 x 18.5 cm (11 3/16 x 7 5/16 in.)
Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. Fund
In the heart of a world shrouded by time, a painting unfurls its story like the petals of a blossoming rose. This work, both lyrical in its grace and fierce in its power, finds its origin in one of the greatest Iranian manuscripts ever created—the royal copy of the *Shahnama*, or the Book of Kings. Commissioned for Shah Tahmasp in the tender embrace of the 1520s to 1540s, this manuscript was celebrated far and wide, praised for its extraordinary coloring and captivating portraiture that adorned its 258 paintings.
Imagine your feet on the verdant grass of spring, where the air is sweetened with the fragrance of blossoming trees. In this vibrant landscape, we encounter Rustam, the storied hero draped in his striking tiger-skin attire. He stands confrontationally, ready to battle the savage White Div, a chief demon whose very name sends shivers down the spine. They face one another, locked in a struggle of strength and will in an immense cave, while other demons, mere onlookers, hover above like silent judges.
The intensity of their conflict is palpable. It feels as if the very ground beneath them is alive, reacting to the violence that unfolds. The blood spills into puddles, embodying the essence of a struggle that transcends the physical world. Rustam, the champion, becomes a force of nature himself, grappling with the White Div, their bodies tearing at each other as if the world around them holds its breath:
"They wrestled, tearing out each other's flesh,
Till all the ground was puddled with their blood..."
In a moment tinged with both brutality and triumph, Rustam reaches out, his hands wrapping around the neck of the demon. Viewed from above, it is a scene of both horror and exhilaration, reminding us of the thin line between destruction and salvation. With determination born of years of trials, he triumphantly dashes the life-breath from the White Div, and in a final act of defiance, plunges his dagger deep into the demon’s heart, plucking the liver from its swarthy form.
As the cave fills with the remains of their fierce confrontation, an overwhelming image unfurls—a world submerged in blood, a poignant reminder that every act of creation can also bear the mark of sacrifice. This painting does not merely depict Rustam’s conquest; it immerses us in the very essence of struggle, the deep-seated desire for light over darkness, growth over despair. It beckons us to ponder our own trials and the fierce warriors we seek to become in our journeys through life.
About the artist
Creating transformative experiences through art “for the benefit of all the people forever.”The Cleveland Museum of Art is renowned for the quality and breadth of its collection, which includes more than 66,500 artworks and spans 6,000 years of achievement in the arts. The artworks shared on this platform are sourced from the museum's Open Access data under the CC0 license. No endorsement is implied.Address: 11150 East Boulevard, Cleveland, OH, USA 44106
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