Sultan Muhammad: The Court of Kayumars (c.1524–1525)

“This sumptuous page, The Court of Gayumars (also spelled Kayumars— see top of page, details below and large image here), comes from an illuminated manuscriptof theShahnama(Book of Kings)—anepic poem describing the history of kingship in Persia (what is now Iran). Because of its blendingof painting styles from both Tabriz and Herat (see map below),its luminous pigments, fine detail, and complex imagery, this copy of the Shahnamastands outin the history of the artistic production in Central Asia.

The Shahnamawas written by Abu al-Qāsim Ferdowsi around the year1000andis a masterful exampleof Persian poetry. The epic chronicles kings and heroes who pre-date the introduction of Islam to Persiaas well as the human experiences of…