Open full image Pin

Khusrau and Shirin

Unknown

1800

paint

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Romanticism Early 19th Century

Dominant colour

Khusrau and Shirin is a 1800 paint by Unknown, a Romanticism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Unknown
When & what style?: 1800 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This painting shows a man on horseback riding over a hill, while below, another man sits inside a small building with two women. The scene is bright with bold colors—reds, blues, and greens—and the background has soft, rounded hills. A third figure kneels on the ground, holding something up. The man on horseback looks like he’s in motion, while the indoor scene feels calm. The text around the image is written in a flowing script, likely Persian. If you like this style, check out the Victoria and Albert Museum.

The story of this work

Overview

This opaque watercolor painting on paper depicts an illustration from the Persian epic *Khusrau and Shirin* by Nizami. It shows Khusrau riding through mountainous terrain toward a pavilion where Shirin observes the sculptor Farhad laboring on a project. The scene reflects the legendary tale in which Farhad’s love for Shirin drives him to carve a channel through a mountain as proof of his devotion.

Read the full account in the museum source.