Description
The intricate sunburst pattern, or shamsa, embellished with gold and lapis lazuli, opens the story of Khusraw and Shirin, the second of the five poems of the Khamsa. The title of the book or chapter is often inscribed within the shamsa, but in this example, the illuminator, Husayn Naqqash, devoted the entire design to the display of exquisite, gem-like decoration. Hypnotic shamsa designs were a vehicle for master illuminators to display their virtuosity.
Parent Object