The deeds of Bahram Gur, who ruled Iran in the 5th century, were recorded in the Persian epic, The Book of Kings. Here Bahram is shown out hunting on a camel with the harpist Azadah. To show his prowess, he shoots an arrow to pin the hind leg of a deer to its head.
Physical description
Tile from a frieze at the palace of Takht-i Sulayman with a moulded design, copper-green and cobalt-blue painted into the glaze, and lustre decoration painted over the glaze. The main scene depicts Bahram Gur, future king of Iran, out hunting with his favourite slave girl, the harpist Azadah. Bahram Gur fires a shot at a gazelle that scratches its ear with its foot. The arrow will pin the foot and the ear to the animal's shoulder.
Place of Origin
Iran (made)
Takht-i Sulayman (made)
Date
1270s (made)
Artist/maker
Unknown
Materials and Techniques
Moulded fritware with colour in and lustre over the glaze
Dimensions
Height: 31.4 cm
Width: 32.3 cm
Depth: 5.3 cm
Descriptive line
Fritware tile with lustre-painted depiction of Bahram Gur hunting with Azadah, Iran (Takht-i Sulayman), about 1275.
Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)
Komaroff, Linda, and Carboni, Stefano, (eds), The legacy of Genghis Khan, Courtly Art and Culture in Western Asia, 1256-1353, New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2002. Catalogue of the Exhibition from Nov.5, 2002 to Feb. 16, 2003. ISBN1-58839-071-3 (1-58839-071-3 pbk; 0-300-09691-7 Yale U. P.)
Cat. Entry 97, p265, Fig. 108
See Ceramic Department's object information file
Watson, Oliver. Persian Lustre Ware. London: Faber and Faber, 1985. ISBN 0-571-13235-9
Colour Plate L/a, pp. 122, 136, 188, 192
Tim Stanley ed., with Mariam Rosser-Owen and Stephen Vernoit, Palace and Mosque: Islamic Art from the Middle East, London, V&A Publications, 2004; pp. 50, 77, 85, 91, 122, plate 100
Labels and date
Tile with Bahram Gur Hunting
Iran, Takht-i Sulayman
About 1275
The deeds of Bahram Gur, who ruled Iran in the 5th century, were recorded in the Persian epic, The Book of Kings. Here Bahram is shown out hunting on a camel with the harpist Azadah. To show his prowess, he shoots an arrow to pin the hind leg of a deer to its head.
Moulded fritware, with colour in the glaze and lustre over the glaze
Museum no. 1841-1876
Materials
Fritware
Techniques
Lustre-painted
Categories
Tiles; Lustre ware; Islam
Collection code
MES
