c. 1575
Rustam Kills a Demon
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Rustam, a great hero in the Persian epic the Shahnama (Book of Kings), proves his strength by throwing a hairy, spotted demon on its head, then trampling its neck in victory. The painter Mahesha transformed Rustam's standard tiger-head helmet (the traces can be seen above the head), giving the hero a typical Persian-Mughal battle helmet. The elimination of the Shahnama text that would usually have accompanied the image gives the isolated figures a more dramatic presence. Even without the text, contemporary viewers would have easily recognized this well-known episode from the tales of Rustam.
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