Khusraw Parviz Enthroned in a Garden (painting, recto; text, verso), folio from a manuscript of the Shahnama by Firdawsi

Khusraw Parviz (r. 591–628) was the last major ruler of the Sasanian dynasty before the Muslim conquest of Iran. The scene shows the young ruler on a throne in an open garden, surrounded by his retinue. Three high-ranking officials are seated on a carpet at the left, while two others stand behind them. The king’s sword bearer and falconer are depicted on the right, and servants and musicians appear in the foreground. This illustration reflects the standard iconography of Central Asian and Persian audience scenes or official celebrations. The doll-like, apple-cheeked figures and robustly curling clouds are characteristic of the late fifteenth-century painting style favored by the Aq Qoyunlu Turkman rulers of Shiraz. Unfortunately, a later hand has largely obliterated the finely textured, grassy ground cover.