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| Epic Iranian tale gets intimate upgrade | Epic Iranian tale gets intimate upgrade |
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| After the enormous success of the Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones, as well as blockbusters such as 300 and Clash of the Titans, the time might be right for Persian mythology to find an audience in the west. | After the enormous success of the Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones, as well as blockbusters such as 300 and Clash of the Titans, the time might be right for Persian mythology to find an audience in the west. |
| Iran's national epic, the Shahnameh, involves many of the same themes and motifs as popular works of fantasy: heroic quests, magical beasts, devilish monsters, passionate romances, fierce intrigues over power, and monumental conflicts fought across immense spans of time. | Iran's national epic, the Shahnameh, involves many of the same themes and motifs as popular works of fantasy: heroic quests, magical beasts, devilish monsters, passionate romances, fierce intrigues over power, and monumental conflicts fought across immense spans of time. |
| Written more than 1,000 years ago by Abolqasem Ferdowsi (940–ca. 1019), the Shahnameh recounts a long, legendary history of the Iranian people from the beginning of civilisation until the historical Arab conquest of the region in the seventh century. The heart of the narrative concerns the adventures of Iran's most celebrated mythological hero, Rostam. | Written more than 1,000 years ago by Abolqasem Ferdowsi (940–ca. 1019), the Shahnameh recounts a long, legendary history of the Iranian people from the beginning of civilisation until the historical Arab conquest of the region in the seventh century. The heart of the narrative concerns the adventures of Iran's most celebrated mythological hero, Rostam. |
| Over the centuries, tales from the Shahnameh have been depicted in a variety of styles around the Middle East and central and sub-continental Asia. Versions illustrated by Persian, Mughal, and Ottoman artists can be found in museums from Istanbul to Los Angeles. For all of its many adaptations, however, it has remained largely unknown in the west except in scholarly circles and among Iranians. | Over the centuries, tales from the Shahnameh have been depicted in a variety of styles around the Middle East and central and sub-continental Asia. Versions illustrated by Persian, Mughal, and Ottoman artists can be found in museums from Istanbul to Los Angeles. For all of its many adaptations, however, it has remained largely unknown in the west except in scholarly circles and among Iranians. |
| But New York–based artist Hamid Rahmanian's recent illustrated rendition with translator Ahmad Sadri, Shahnameh: The Epic of the Persian Kings could change that. His images draw on thousands of carefully orchestrated elements from paintings, lithographs, and manuscript miniatures from Iran, Mughal India, and the Ottoman Empire between the 15th and 19th centuries, and convey scenes such as dreams and nightmares rarely if ever depicted in previous versions. | But New York–based artist Hamid Rahmanian's recent illustrated rendition with translator Ahmad Sadri, Shahnameh: The Epic of the Persian Kings could change that. His images draw on thousands of carefully orchestrated elements from paintings, lithographs, and manuscript miniatures from Iran, Mughal India, and the Ottoman Empire between the 15th and 19th centuries, and convey scenes such as dreams and nightmares rarely if ever depicted in previous versions. |
| Rahmanian describes his process as akin to that of a movie editor splicing frames for a montage or a DJ blending tracks for a mash-up. Taking the visual elements out of their original context to produce new pictures also adds a new layer to their meaning. The images not only convey the Shahnameh's stories, they also bring traditions of literary illustration from distant places and times into intimate dialogue. The unique result is a fresh visual narration that makes the ancient text feel as if it is flows seamlessly, like a finely edited film. | Rahmanian describes his process as akin to that of a movie editor splicing frames for a montage or a DJ blending tracks for a mash-up. Taking the visual elements out of their original context to produce new pictures also adds a new layer to their meaning. The images not only convey the Shahnameh's stories, they also bring traditions of literary illustration from distant places and times into intimate dialogue. The unique result is a fresh visual narration that makes the ancient text feel as if it is flows seamlessly, like a finely edited film. |
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