Manuscript Page from the Gulistan and Bustan of Sa’di of Shiraz
Iranian
Description
Subject Matter:
This manuscript page contains parts of two famous texts by the Persian writer Sa’di of Shiraz (c.1209-1291). The marginal text is from the Bustan (“Orchard”), a collection of rhyming verse. The image and text inside the central box comes from the Gulistan, which means “Rose Garden.” This collection offered readers a variety of entertaining and instructive stories, just like a garden containing different kinds of roses. The red words in the text indicate key words or transitions to different parts of the text.
Sa’di’s writings are considered classics in the Persian literary tradition. Many copies of his works were written long after his death. This manuscript was likely produced in a provincial workshop in the eighteenth-century.
In the illustration, we see the conclusion of Chapter 3, Story 28. A king has organized an archery contest in which four hundred expert archers try to fly an arrow through his tiny, prized ring. All of them fail, but a child wildly shooting arrows from a nearby roof, hits the target and wins the prize. The story ends with this proverb: “Sometimes it happens that an enlightened wise man’s plan goes awry/ Sometimes it happens that an ignorant child hits the target by mistake.” (Translation from Wheeler M. Thackston The Gulistan Of Sa'di, 2008).
Physical Description:
A page with bordered text in ascending and descending slants above and below a painting of nine figures and two buildings. One of the figures appears to be sitting on a cloth or carpet.
Usage Rights:
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