This sixteenth-century painting from Iran depicts an allegorical court scene with musicians playing the setar and doira, or frame drum. The image is part of a mystical treatise known as the "Effulgences [radiant splendors] of Light."
Detail, Lawa'ih (Effulgences of Light), Mir 'Ali, d. 1556; Nawwab Durmish Khan, Safavid period (ca. 1521-1525); opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on paper (origin: possibly Herat, Iran). Purchase, Smithsonian Unrestricted Trust Funds, Smithsonian Collections Acquisition Program, and Dr. Arthur M. Sackler. S1986.38