Moses Prevailing over Pharaoh 1425 - 1430

This is Moses Prevailing over Pharaoh, created by Ḥāfiẓ-i Abrū around 1430. The painting, made with opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on paper, presents a scene that intertwines religious narrative with courtly representation. Created during the Timurid dynasty, likely in present-day Iran or Central Asia, it reflects a culture where religious and political authority were closely linked. The image draws upon Islamic artistic traditions, particularly manuscript illumination, and the institutional context of royal patronage. It comments on the relationship between religious figures and political rulers, reflecting the social dynamics of its time, while simultaneously reaffirming the authority of the religious narrative. As a historian, I'd consult illuminated manuscripts and Timurid court records to better understand the interplay of religious and political power encoded in this image. The meaning of art is always contingent on the social and institutional context in which it's made and received.