Bahram Gur in the Black Palace

Like the story of Khasrau and Shirin, the Haft Paiker section of the Khamsa is based on the heroic exploits of ancient Sassanian kings. This page shows King Bahram Gur visiting the pavilion of the princess of the Black Hall. A notable development in miniature painting occurred in the sixteenth century when painters began to produce albums based on popular literary and portrait themes without text for noble and aristocratic patrons. Typically, the works from the Shiraz, Herat, and Tabriz workshops employed bright colors, ordered compositions, and exacting calligraphic passages.