Not currently on display at the V&A

Khusrau and Shirin

Painting
ca. 1800 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Kashmir (made)

Painting, in opaque watercolour on paper, illustration to the story of Khusrau and Shirin: Khusrau riding through the mountains to a pavilion from which Shirin watches the sculptor Farhad at work.


Object details

Categories
Paintings
Myths & Legends
Bonita Trust Indian Paintings Cataloguing Project
Object type
Painting
TitleKhusrau and Shirin (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Painted in opaque watercolour on paper
Opaque Watercolour
Paper
Paint
Painted
Brief description
Painting, Khusrau and Shirin, Khusrau riding through mountains, opaque watercolour on paper, Kashmir, ca. 1800
Physical description
Painting, in opaque watercolour on paper, illustration to the story of Khusrau and Shirin: Khusrau riding through the mountains to a pavilion from which Shirin watches the sculptor Farhad at work.
Dimensions
  • Height: 222mm (approx.)
  • Width: 164mm (approx.)
  • Image within innermost painted borders height: 119mm
  • Image within innermost painted borders width: 112mm
17/07/2013 dimensions measured as part of Indian Paintings Cataloguing Project 2013; object irregular in shape
Content description
Khusrau riding through the mountains to a pavilion from which Shirin watches the sculptor Farhad at work.
Credit line
Purchased with Art Fund support
Historical context
The story of 'Khusrau and Shirin' was written by the great poet of Iran, Nizami(1140-1230 AD) The epic relates the love story of the Princess Shirin and Farhad, whose passionate love for the Princess irritated her father, the King. To remove Farhad from court, the King requested him to create a channel for a river through a mountain. If Farhad would accomplish this task, he would receive Shirin as his bride. It is related that as he struck the rock, he constantly invoked the name of Shirin as he created a scuplture in her image.
Subjects depicted
Riding
Hero
Sculptor
Pavilion
Mountains
Khusrau
Shirin
Literary reference<i>Khusrau and Shirin</i> by Nizami Iran (1140-1230 AD)
Collection
South & South East Asia Collection
Accession number
IS.218-1955

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdNovember 28, 2002
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O71005/khusrau-and-shirin-painting-unknown/
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest