Bihzād, Kamāl al-Dīn d. ca. 942/1535, is arguably the most famous of all Persian painters. He attained the peak of his fame in his craft in Herat during the reign of the last Tīmūrid princeling, Sulṭān Ḥusayn Bāyqarā (r. 873–911/1469–1506). Bihzād is often compared to Mānī, the founder of the religion of Manichaeism in the 3rd century CE, one of whose holy books, the Aržang, contains paintings popularly attributed to him. Bihzād’s style is synonymous with the best illustration, lustrous colouring and minutely naturalisti…