Page from a Shah-nama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi (Persian, about 934-1020), c. 1590-1600. This section of the Shah-nama is famous for the clever conversational repartee between Rustam and his opponent Ashkabus. When Ashkabus remarked that in choosing not to ride a horse Rustam had signed his own death warrant, Rustam retorted, "Would it be the case then that in your country . . . lions, tigers, and crocodiles [all] ride on horses to battle?" Rustam then brought down the horse of Ashkabus with a single arrow; his next arrow pierced Ashkabus in the chest.

---

Size: 4284px × 6668px
Photo credit: © Heritage Art/Heritage Images / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: 16th, art, century, cleveland, gold, heritage, ink, iran, manuscript, museum, opaque, painting, paper, period, safavid, shiraz, unknown, watercolour