an epic poem from the 10th century that chronicles Iran’s mythical history before the founding of Islam, has been immortalized in numerous illustrated copies. . The illuminated pages of the 16th-century Shahnama of Shah Tahmasp, known as the most beautiful edition ever created,  are reproduced in this new publication, which succeeds the Metropolitan Museum’s celebrated out-of-print deluxe facsimile edition of 2011. This new volume combines the vibrant, high-quality reproductions of the deluxe edition with enlightening information and a smaller, more accessible format.  The fascinating text introduces the Shahnama to readers and describes the material world depicted in the intricate paintings. It also includes a brief description of the stories depicted in the illustrations and an illustrated “Who’s Who” to help readers identify major characters in the epic. These features provide readers a deeper engagement with this captivating masterpiece.

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