Pre-1475 "Rustam Sleeping. His Horse Protects His Master From a Lion", Original 1940 Swiss Lithograph After Persian Painting

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A stunning vintage offset lithograph, print, of Persian painting "Rustam Sleeping. His Horse Protects His Master From a Lion And … Read more A stunning vintage offset lithograph, print, of Persian painting "Rustam Sleeping. His Horse Protects His Master From a Lion And Defeats It." The original artwork is a miniature detached from an unknown manuscript of the SHAHNAMA. With two other miniatures from the same manuscript now in the Leipzig museum it was formerly bound in a copy of the Khamsa of Nizami owned by Ph. W. Schulz. All three are reproduced in his book. The manuscript was apparently never completed, for these miniatures have never had the marginal lines drawn.

The incident illustrated is Rutam's first adventure on going out into the world, a a hero to combat Ahriman the spirit of evil. At the end of a long day's ride he lay down to rest in an attractive thicket, which was the lair of a lion. The lion returned after the first watch and though to devour horse and rider. But Rukhsh, Rustam's miraculous horse whom he had chosen from the herds and snatched from his mare, protected him. This scene was a favourite one with the miniaturists who illustrated the SHAHNAMA.

These miniatures stand rather apart from the main stream of Timurid painting. They do not appear to belong to the school of Herat, but cannot be attributed to any other particular centre. Unless the style is very archaic the date hardly be later than 1475.

This piece comes from an art folio published in Switzerland in 1940. Signed in the print. First Limited Edition. Printed on heavy wove paper, on one side. Numbered at the lower left corner. High-end quality. Very detailed. Excellent condition - never framed. See less