"Zal Questions Sam's Intentions Regarding the House of Mihrab", Folio 81v from the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp 1500 - 1555

"Zal Questions Sam's Intentions Regarding the House of Mihrab", Folio 81v from the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp, is an illuminated manuscript page created sometime between 1500 and 1555, illustrating the epic Persian poem *Shahnama* written by Abu'l Qasim Firdausi in the 10th and 11th centuries. The page, now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, depicts a scene from the Shahnama where Zal, the father of Rostam, questions Sam's intentions regarding the House of Mihrab. The scene is depicted with intricate detail, featuring a lively tableau of figures in elaborate costumes set against a landscape of hills and trees. This illustration, part of a larger illuminated manuscript, exemplifies the artistic and cultural importance of Persian manuscript painting.