An illustrated and illuminated leaf from a manuscript of Firdausi's Shahnameh: Rustam rescuing Bizhan from the pit as Manizha looks on, Persia, Qazwin, Safavid, last quarter 16th century

gouache and ink heightened with gold on paper, 6 lines to the page above and below the painting written in nasta'liq in black ink within 2 columns, ruled in gold, red and black, verso with 25 lines to the page in black nasta'liq

painting: 29 by 18.4cm. max.

leaf: 35.6 by 24cm.