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Muhammad Murad Samarkandi. Rudabe giving birth to a child. Firdawsi. “Shah-nama”. IOS AS Usbek SSR, MS 1811, f. 49b. 1556-1557. Central Asia
Muhammad   Murad Samarkandi RUDABE GIVING BIRTH TO A CHILD, Firdawsi. «Skali-nama»


The scene of Rustem’s birth, a hero of “Shak-nama”, is not so pompous as it should be. Usually one shows the rich decorated palace where his mother is couching with many people around her. This miniature is a plain rendering of the mother’s pain, her patience and hope. Colour scheme of this miniature is in blue and purple tones, sadness symbol, as if it tells us about future Rustem’s troubles. Against the background of dark curtain we see mother of Rustem, on the left there is his father, on the right side there is a midwife. Around the mother there are women keeping her in special position to help her for giving a birth. This picture is very truthful.