Warriors on Horseback, folio from an album c. 1565

Editor: This is "Warriors on Horseback," attributed to Muhammadi, a folio from an album. I'm struck by the monochromatic palette and the dynamic movement. What historical narratives might this artwork be engaging with? Curator: This piece invites us to consider the performative aspects of power in Persianate societies. How might the act of horsemanship, depicted here, reinforce or challenge existing social hierarchies? Editor: So, it's more than just a pretty picture of warriors? Curator: Absolutely. Think about who had access to horses, to training. Consider how such images might construct ideas about masculinity and rulership. What is not represented here is as important as what we see. Editor: That makes me think about whose stories are left out of these historical representations. Curator: Precisely. And how we, as viewers, can engage critically with that absence.