Introduction: In the history of Iranian painting, illustrated copies of the Shahnameh have consistently attracted the attention of artists and court patronage . Following the flourishing tradition of manuscript illustration during the Safavid period and the transitional Afshar and Zand periods, the Qajar school is one of the major schools of Iranian painting that emerged at a significant historical moment, coinciding with broader cultural transformations and increasing contact with Europe. The Qajar period began with the coronation of Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar in 1795 AD and ended with the fall of the dynasty in 1925 AD after the reign of seven rulers. In contrast to artistic restrictions in many Islamic regions, painting and manuscript illustration continued to develop during this period. The influence of European landscape painting and changing visual attitudes contributed to the emergence of a distinctive pictorial culture in Qajar Iran. Although artistic production varied across the period, the reign of Fath Ali Shah Qajar is often regarded as a particularly productive phase. During this time, numerous Persian manuscripts were produced and illustrated. Ferdowsi's Shahnameh, as one of the most important literary and historical works of Persian culture, was frequently copied and illustrated. Under the patronage of Fath Ali Shah and Mohammad Shah, manuscript illustration—particularly Shahnameh painting—experienced renewed development. Shahnameh painting involves the visual representation of the stories, characters, and major events of the Shahnameh through painting, illumination, geometric and arabesque designs, the application of gold, and other decorative techniques. As a visual medium, it has played an important role in preserving and transmitting the narratives and concepts of the Shahnameh across generations. A copy of Ferdowsi's Shahnameh, written and illustrated in the thirteenth century AH, is currently preserved in the Manuscript Museum of the Central Library of the University of Isfahan under accession number 12453. The manuscript was probably produced during the final years of the reign of Naser al-Din Shah Qajar and the early years of the reign of Mozaffar al-Din Shah Qajar.
Purposes & Questions: The aim of this research is to introduce and examine a previously unstudied illustrated copy of Ferdowsi's Shahnameh and to analyze its visual and formal characteristics in relation to Qajar painting and book arts. This manuscript consists of two volumes, 613 folios in Nastaliq script and sixteen illustrated scenes executed in watercolor. It was owned by Mohammad Baqir bin Mohammad Taqi Aqanajafi Isfahani, known by the pen name “Olfat,” and is therefore referred to as the Shahnameh of Olfat. The manuscript was copied by Musa al-Musawi in a traditional four-column layout. Based on direct examination of the manuscript and supporting documentary sources, this study seeks to identify its codicological and visual features. Accordingly, the research addresses the following questions: 1) What are the identifying components of the Shahnameh of Olfat manuscript? and 2) What are its distinctive visual and formal characteristics in the illustrated scenes?
Methods: This research adopts a descriptive-analytical approach. Data were collected through library and field research based on direct access to the manuscript. The study focuses on the identification and analysis of the manuscript’s visual structure, pictorial features, and stylistic characteristics.
Findings & Results: The findings indicate that the manuscript contains both calligraphic text and pictorial illustrations. The text is written on ochre-colored paper, while the illustrated folios are executed in watercolor technique. The paintings display a relatively simple and direct visual language, with limited attention to fine detail. Although the identity of the painter remains unknown, the execution of certain visual elements suggests that the illustrations are likely the work of one painter. The compositions are generally organized into three spatial levels: foreground, middle ground, and background. The backgrounds typically consist of blue skies with white and gold cloud formations, while the main narrative unfolds in the central pictorial space. Landscape elements, architectural forms, and ornamental details are rendered in a simplified manner. The palette is limited, dominated by blue and orange tones, and the works are characterized by broad color fields, high horizon lines, and schematic figural representation. Overall, the illustrations rely on simplified visual interpretations of epic themes and show only partial adherence to the narrative details of the Shahnameh text.