Persian Miniatures Collection of the Rijksmuseum, A Hidden Treasure Trove

Forough Sajadi, Ph.D. (2021), University of Warsaw, is a scholar of Islamic art at Leiden University. Her research focuses on Persian paintings in Dutch collections, and include Re-examining a Persian Miniature: Two Young Men in an Erotic Embrace (KVVAK:2022).

• ContentsAcknowledgementsList of FiguresAbbreviated Names of Manuscript CollectionsAbout the AuthorIntroduction1 An Overview of the Collection2 History of the CollectionHistorical Overview1 The Early Islamic Era: Pre-Mongol Period2 The Mongol Period3 The Injuid and Muzaffarid Dynasties4 Jalayirid Period5 Timurid and Turkmen Periods (the Qara Qoyunlu and Aq Qoyunlu)6 Safavid Period7 Post-Safavid EraGuide to the Catalogue EntriesPart 1: CatalogueThe Early Period: The Pre-Mongol Period1 One Page of Khawass al-ashjar (The Characteristics of Trees)The Mongol Period1 ‘Harish’, One Page of Manafiʿ al-hayawan (The Benefits of Animals)2 Two Pages of Kitab-i Hakim Jamasp (The Book of Jamasp the Sage)3 ‘Isfandiyar’s Fifth Labour: He Kills the Simurgh’, One Page of Shahnama4 ‘Mihr Hurmuzd Murders Khusrau Parviz’, One Page of ShahnamaThe Timurid and Turkmen Period1 ‘The Second Combat: Giv Stuns Guruy Zirih’, One Page of Shahnama2 ‘Minuchihr Defeats the Army of Salm and Tur’, One Page of Shahnama3 ‘Khusrau Receives Gul’s Letter’, One Page of Khusraunama4 ‘Rustam Kills Shaghad before Dying’, One Page of Shahnama5 ‘Shiruya Sends a Message to Khusrau Parviz’, One Page of Shahnama6 ‘Rustam’s Seventh Labour: He Kills the White Div’, One Page from Shahnama7 ‘A Convivial Gathering in the Garden’, One Page of Divan of Shahi8 ‘Meeting the Intimate in the Garden’, One Page of Fatihat al-shabab9 Two Pages of Khamsa of Nizami10 Two Detached Pages, Depictions of MajnunThe Safavid Period1 ‘Muhammad Converses with God in Heaven’, One Page of Mirajnama2 Three Pages of Mihr u Mushtari (The Sun and Jupiter)3 ‘Mahan and the Old Gardener’, One Page of Khamsa of Nizami4 ‘Khusrau and Shirin in Hunting Ground’, One Page of Khamsa of Nizami5 ‘Rustam’s First Labour: Rakhsh Kills a Lion’, One Page of Shahnama6 ‘Kay Khusrau Grants an Audience to Rustam and Zal’, One Page of Shahnama7 ‘Solomon and Ajenna’, One Page of ʿAja‌ʾib al-makhluqat (Wonders of Creation)8 Four Pages of Divan of Hafiz9 ‘Seduction of Yusuf by Zulaikha’, One Page of Haft Awrang (Seven Thrones)10 Three Pages of Rawzat al-shuhada (Garden of the Martyrs)11 ‘A Man in a Robe’, One Page of Divan of Hafiz12 ‘Isfandiyar’s Fifth Labour: He Kills the Simurgh’, One Page of Shahnama13 ‘A Youth and Two Dervishes’14 ‘A Sitting Man’15 ‘A Lion Attacking a Man’16 ‘A Youth and a Dervish’17 ‘A Youth Holding a Cup’Post-Safavid: The Zand, Afsharid and Qajar Periods1 ‘Standing Woman with Flowers and a Bowl’2 Two Architectural Scenes3 ‘A Dervish Holding a Vase’4 ‘Two Young Men in an Erotic Embrace’5 Five Pages of the Khamsa of Nizami6 ‘Hunting Scene’7 Two Pages of Gulzar CalligraphyAppendix: Selected Miniatures Attributed to IndiaBibliographyIndex