Garden Scene Timurid dynasty (ca. 1370–1507), mid–15th century

These two painted album leaves, titled "Garden Scene", are without known authorship or date. The leaves are composed of opaque watercolour, ink, and gold on paper. The leaves are each divided into a square area framed with floral motifs; they evoke the concept of "paradise" depicted as an earthly garden. The composition on both leaves is similarly arranged with groups of figures on a plane of green grass with a gold background with flowering trees. The artist uses colour to create rhythm in the arrangement of the leaves. The flowing composition, with figures, suggests the music and entertainment of courtly life. Note how the artist has rendered perspective through the vertical placement of figures, one behind another, rather than through linear means. This artistic choice flattens the scene and emphasizes its decorative qualities. This approach reflects a cultural aesthetic that values pattern and surface design over Western illusionistic depth, highlighting a deliberate choice in artistic representation.