COMPARING THE SCENE OF HUNTING DEER, BAHRAM GUR AND AZADEH IN three SHAHNAMEHS of Ilkhani era

Shahnameh is an epic poem written by Hakim Abuʾl-Qasim Ferdowsi Tusi. This work attracted attention of Iran kings over different eras and by order of some of them, some paintings are drawn by painters. Since the era before establishing Ilkhanate dynasty to 14th century no illustrated copy of Shahnameh is available and only there are two copies of Shahnameh related to 13th century which none of them are illustrated. Meanwhile there are near 10 illustrated Shahnamehs relating to 14th century (Ilkhanate era) which they don’t follow a portraying pattern and have established a special method for illustrating the copies thereafter. This study aims to study three paintings from three Shahnamehs of Ilkhanate era which depicts the narration of hunt of deer, Bahram Gur and Azadeh which is one of the outstanding stories of Shahnameh. This study is conducted through descriptive-analytical method for answering this question that whether these three Shahnameh of 1331, 1333 and 1352 A.D. are produced in one atelier. Therefore, a set of artistic differences and common aspects are examined in these three paintings. In general, summarizing differences and similarities in composition, technic and even susceptibility from previous schools styles either from Iran art or china or Mongol which exist in this piece, one can conclude that illustration of these three Shahnameh is carried out in a same atelier or they are pursued an identical pattern.