Rustam about to stab Borzu. - Lot 101

Rustam about to stab Borzu. Iran qâjar, 19th century. Manuscript page on paper illustrating the text of a Borzu-nama (Epic of Barzu). Six-column text in nasta'liq script in black ink, 31 lines per page. Polychrome gouache depicting Rustam with his white div helmet about to kill Barzu in front of Shahru, who stops him. Shahru who stops him by revealing his identity. Page size: 38.5 x 26 cm; written area: 29.8 x 18.4 cm; Painting: 13.4 x 18.4 cm. This painting is taken from the story of a borzu-nama, a 65,000-verse epic poem from the late 11th century that tells the story of Barzu, son of Sohrâb and Shahru, and grandson of Rostam, who wants to avenge his father's death. Barzu is spared at the last moment when Rostam learns from his mother Shahru that he is her grandson. The manuscript from which this page comes, scattered on the French market for decades, contains several epic poems, including the Shah-nameh, in which it has been interspersed with other stories