"Gushtasp Slays the Dragon of Mount Saqila", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi 1305 - 1365

This folio, created around the turn of the first millennium by Abu’l Qasim Firdausi, is from a Shahnama, or Book of Kings, and depicts Gushtasp slaying a dragon. The painting is dominated by the interplay of color and form, as the sinuous dragon coils against a vibrant red backdrop, contrasting with the cooler blues and grays of the hero’s armor. The composition is carefully structured: Gushtasp and his rearing horse are positioned to the right, while the dragon’s contorted body fills the central space, creating a dynamic tension. The artist uses line and color to create a symbolic language: the dragon, a classic signifier of chaos, is disrupted by the hero, the ordered representative of power and justice. The surrounding text, calligraphic signs, frames and contextualizes the painting, adding layers of narrative and meaning. Ultimately, this work challenges the viewer to consider the interplay between image and text, form and content, and the cultural codes embedded within Persian artistic traditions. The scene’s formal elements function not merely as aesthetics, but as part of a larger cultural and philosophical discourse.