Bahram Gur and Azada Mina'i bowl, Iran, 12th-13th cen. “Some of the mina'i ceramics illust

Bahram Gur and Azada

Mina'i bowl, Iran, 12th-13th cen.

“Some of the mina'i ceramics illustrate stories from the Persian epic, the Shahnama, predating its earliest surviving illustrated manuscripts by nearly a century. This bowl depicts the episode of Prince Bahram Gur hunting with Azada, his favorite concubine. Azada challenges Bahram Gur to a hunting feat, but when he succeeds, she pities the slain gazelles and reproaches him. In anger, he tramples her under his camel’s feet. The painter has conflated two different moments into one scene.”