ManuscriptsPersian16th century

The Caliph Harun al-Rashid in the Bath (painting, recto; text, verso), folio from a manuscript of the Khamsa (Makhzan al-Asrar) by Nizami

1584

Description

While shaving the Abbasid caliph Harun al-Rashid (d. 809) in the bathhouse, a barber impertinently professed his love for the ruler’s daughter and asked to marry her. Astounded at the barber’s audacity, the caliph consulted his vizier, who speculated that the barber might have been standing atop a treasure, which would generate inordinate confidence in any man. The next day, the vizier suggested, the caliph should choose another spot in the bathhouse and observe the barber’s behavior. Standing in a different place to minister to the caliph, the barber behaved in a polite and appropriate manner, not mentioning the ruler’s daughter. Harun al-Rashid immediately ordered the original location excavated, and indeed a treasure was found there. The illustration represents a lively genre scene of men in a bathhouse being washed, massaged, shaved, and entertained. Depicted at the right of the main chamber are a seated man, his lower body draped in blue, and a standing man in red who shaves his head. These two probably represent the caliph and the barber.

Classification

Manuscripts

Medium

Ink, opaque watercolor and gold on paper

Culture

Persian

Period

Safavid period

Century

16th century

Division

Asian and Mediterranean Art

Department

Department of Islamic & Later Indian Art

Dimensions

40.1 x 26.1 cm (15 13/16 x 10 1/4 in.)

Provenance

[Christies, London, 18 October 1994, lot 29]. [Mansour Gallery, London, 1994 or 1995], sold; to Stanford and Norma Jean Calderwood, Belmont, MA (1994 or 1995 - 2002), gift; to Harvard Art Museums, 2002.