The Tuhfet ul-Leta’if
The Wonderful Court of Dar ul-Bekam
Fol. 152v-153r from a manuscript of Tuhfet ul-Leta’if
Turkey, Istanbul, 1593–1594
Opaque watercolour, gold, and ink on paper
AKM280.42
Having been temporarily reunited with Shah Ramin, Mah-Pervin is soon kidnapped on the order of a jealous suitor, Kiman Shah, the ruler of Hind (India). Imprisoned for his wickedness, Kiman confesses to the plot. As Shah Ramin sets out to find his beloved, he hears of a fantastical city called Dar ul-Bekam (“City of Fulfilled Desire”). Guided by the elder Akma’il, he breaks into the citadel and encounters the city’s many wonders. This double illustration shows Shah Ramin and Akma’il (right) astonished at the splendour of Dar ul-Bekam’s royal court. The scene adapts contemporary depictions of Ottoman court gatherings, with ranks of officials and guards looking on as attendants set the mood with wine and music (left).