In the reign of Hushang, grandson of Gayumars, the world came to understand the usefulness of minerals and the art of smithery, as well as agriculture and irrigation. One day Hushang spied a horrible dragon lurking behind the rocks. He hurled a stone at it, which missed the monster but hit a larger rock causing sparks to fly up. Realizing the significance of this phenomenon, Hushang built a large fire and held a feast to celebrate its discovery. The witty yet profound characterizations of people and animals are typical of the liveliest of Sultan Muhammad's creations. No Persian artist has excelled in presenting a world so overflowing with life and so rich in exuberant detail as Sultan Muhammad, to whom this painting is attributed. Using color, he created a somewhat otherworldly atmosphere suitable to the remote, early phase of civilization depicted in this miniature celebrating the discovery of fire.

Open full-size image