An illustrated and illuminated folio from a manuscript of Husayn Va’iz al-Kashifi’s Akhlaq-i Muhsini: Ya'qub ibn Layth standing on the roof in full armour, Persia, Shiraz, Safavid, 16th century

In this charming scene, the Saffarid amir Ya’qub ibn Layth has consulted his astrologers about an auspicious t.mes to enter battle. Hearing that this was in eight hours' t.mes , he stands on the roof in full armour, testing his endurance in the heat of the strong sun. 

Further folios from this manuscript are held in the collects ion of the Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery. They were formerly in the collects ion of Robert Edward Hart (1878-1946), a collects or of manuscripts and coins, who bequeathed his library to the museum upon his death.