"Afrasiyab on the Iranian Throne", Folio 105r from the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp 1500 - 1555

This painting, "Afrasiyab on the Iranian Throne," is a page from the Shahnama, or Book of Kings, created in Persia. The poem itself was composed by Abu'l Qasim Firdausi between 977 and 1010 AD, but this image was made much later. The Shahnama is the national epic of Iran and tells the history of the country from mythical times to the Islamic conquest in the seventh century. Here we see a moment in the story when Afrasiyab, king of Turan, invades Iran and takes the throne. The image is full of visual codes that would have been understood by its original audience. The way Afrasiyab is depicted, his clothing, his throne, all signal his status and power. But the very fact that he is sitting on the Iranian throne would have been seen as a challenge to the existing social order. To fully understand this painting, we need to research the history of Persia and the role of the Shahnama in Iranian culture, something best done by using resources in museums, libraries, and archives.