Painting, recto; Text , verso of folio 54, illustrated folio from a manuscript of the Manuscript of the Kitab-i-Shah u Geda (The Shah and the Beggar) by Yahya Beg c. 1580 - 1590

Editor: This illustrated folio is from the Manuscript of the Kitab-i-Shah u Geda by Yahya Beg. I am struck by the simplicity of the scene, but also the stark contrast between the figures. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It's a wonderful dance, isn't it? The Shah, poised on horseback, versus the beggar on the ground—a visual representation of power and vulnerability, perhaps. Think of it less as a literal depiction and more as an exploration of social dynamics. Does the image perhaps invert the normal social hierachy? Editor: Hmmm. I hadn't thought about it in that way, that the Shah appears smaller than the beggar. Curator: Exactly! It hints at something deeper, maybe even a critique of the very power structures it seems to depict. Food for thought, indeed. Editor: It really does make you think about perspectives, doesn't it? Thanks!