Illuminated folio from an unidentified manuscript
Persian
This page features a shamsa (sun), an illuminated medallion in which the title of a book or chapter was often inscribed. This shamsa is composed of abstract and floral forms in gold and blue surrounding a plain gold circular center, which has been repainted. An underlying inscription is detectable via X-ray, but unfortunately only one word can be read: as?abi (lords or possessors).
Repainting aside, the shamsa is executed with delicate brushwork and careful attention to detail. Balanced and symmetrical in composition and palette, it compares well with other illumination produced in Central Asia and Iran during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
Black ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on beige paper
Safavid period