414 
PICTURES IN THE PALACE. 
Six pictures of a very large size, occupy the walls of this 
banqueting-chamber, from the ceiling, to within eight or ten 
feet of the floor. Four of these represent royal entertainments, 
given to different ambassadors during the reigns of Shah Abbas 
the First, alias , the Great; of his grandson, Abbas the Second; 
and of Shah Thamas, or Tamasp, as it is sometimes written. 
The two other pictures are battle-pieces. Every one of these 
different subjects are pourtrayed with the most scrupulous 
exactness, as far as the still life could be copied. The golden 
vases, and other vessels in the banqueting scenes, with the 
musical instruments, and every detail in the dresses of the 
persons present, are painted with an almost Flemish precision. 
Wine (the peculiar bane of the Sefi race,) appears the great 
vehicle of enjoyment at these feasts ; an air of carouse being in 
all the figures, and the goblets disposed with the most anacreontic 
profusion. The guests are also entertained with a variety of 
dancing-girls, whose attitudes and costumes sufficiently show the 
second vice of the times, and explain the countries whence they 
come. 
The warlike pictures are defined with equal nicety; the trap¬ 
pings of the horses, the arms of the heroes, and even to the 
blood-red wounds of the combatants. One of the battles re¬ 
presents the troops of the valiant Shah Tamasp the First, (the 
son of Shah Ismail, the beginner of the Sefi dynasty,) engaging 
the troops of Sultan Soliman. The Persian King is depicted in 
the act of cleaving a grim Janisary “ from head to saddle-bow 
and the weapon having nearly reached the last point of its aim, 
the artist has marked its dreadful journey down the body of the 
man, with a long red streak, following the royal blade. But, 
nevertheless, the indivisible Turk continues to sit bolt upright, 
