Wedding Celebration of Zal and Rudaba (painting, recto; text, verso), folio from a manuscript of the Shahnama by Firdawsi

This festive painting depicts the marriage of the Iranian prince Zal to Rudaba, daughter of Mihrab, the king of Kabul. The vibrantly colored and dynamically composed scene is filled with lively vignettes, including a circle of female musicians and dancers who wave their long sleeves as they circle in front of the newly wedded couple. The palace interior is brightly tiled in various geometric patterns. In the lower left corner, Mihrab, in the company of Zal’s father, Sam, is about to join the celebratory party. The numerous torches and candles held by attendants and servants indicate that the event takes place at night.