How does Painting of the Six Kings elucidate its Interpretation?
The intent and meaning of the painting are unclear, and disputed by scholars. The highly diverse interpretations of the painting are partly due to the loss of information from the damage.According to Islamic art consultant Patricia Baker, the Greek word for "victory" appearing nearby suggests that the image was meant to suggest the caliph's supremacy over his enemies. Betsy Williams of the Metropolitan Museum of Art suggested that the six figures are depicted in supplication, presumably towards the caliph who would be seated in the hall. Other scholars, including Arabic epigraphist Max van Berchem and architectural historian K. A. C. Creswell, argued that the six rulers are a representation of the defeated enemies of Islam. Iranologist and archaeologist Ernst Herzfeld argued that the painting is an Umayyad copy or version of the Sassanian "Kings of the Earth" located at Kermanshah, as recorded by Yaqut al-Hamawi in his work Mu'jam al-Buldan (Dictionary of Countries). Art historian Oleg Grabar interpreted the painting as an attempt to convey the idea that the Umayyad dynasty was the descendant and heir of the dynasties it had defeated.
K. A. C. Creswell Kermanshah Umayyad dynasty Ernst Herzfeld Iranologist Oleg Grabar Arabic Mu'jam al-Buldan Greek epigraphist Max van Berchem Yaqut al-Hamawi caliph Metropolitan Museum of Art Islamic art