Ferdowsi (Tus, Iran, 935 CE)
Leaf from the Shahnameh: Kay Kaus Captured by the Divs, 14th century
Gold and colors on paper, 14.5 x 17 cm (5 11/16 x 6 11/16 in.)
This is a leaf from a manuscript of the Shahnameh, a Persian epic poem. The small, minutely detailed image covers the lower two-thirds of a manuscript page with Farsi script above and below the image. In this image we see Kay Klaus, the Shah of Persia, riding on horseback being impeded by a white Div, a demonic creature from Persian mythology. Kay Kaus sits on a red, soft saddle astride a black horse, whose head, legs and tail are unusually thin. The bearded, medium light skinned Shah wears a gold and green crown; a red, long undergarment and dark green outer robe. He looks wide-eyed at the Div, his two hands held up in an upward gesture of supplication. The Div grabs the reins of the horse with one hand up stretched and carries what appears to be an ax in the other. The Div’s white head is furry, his open teeth-lined mouth and protruding red tongue are similar to that of a wild animal. Bulging eyes on red clumps of fur and a furry, spiked horn on the back of his head give a ferocious look to the attacker. His body, arms, hands, legs and feet have the appearance of a very muscular human and are all bare, revealing stark white skin. He wears loose gold knee-length shorts with a red sash around the waist. Gold, narrow rings encircle the Div’s neck, upper arms, wrists, knees and ankles. This scene dominates the image and is painted against a rose colored hill scattered with delicate stalks of diverse flowers. A sliver of dark blue sky is seen in the distance against which the pointed gold helmets and heads of three soldiers carrying flags on long pointed poles are seen in the rear right. In the rear left, the large head and neck of a brown dog-like animal with red and green stripes around its mouth peers out from behind the hill.
Tapestry Room
Commentary
This illumination depicts a scene from the "Shah-nameh" or "Book of Kings," the great Persian epic written in the 10th century by the poet Ferdowsi. Kay Kaus, the brave but foolhardy king of the Iranians, traveled with his army to the enchanted regions of Mazandaran, which was ruled by the evil Divs (demons) under their great white leader. The king’s capture and subsequent blinding by the Divs serve as the background to a series of adventures encountered by Rustam, chief of the king’s knights, in his attempt to rescue the king. This miniature, preserved with the entire page of text intact, shows the capture of the unfortunate Shah by the White Div, while one Div and the king's army stand by.