1
Narrative paint earned its keep
Each lacquer panel of Rostam in armour gave the storyteller a stage — the picture cued the verse, not the other way round.
2
Saturation was a deliberate signal
Lacquer red and gold leaf over earthen ochre read across a smoky room; muted tones would have vanished by lamplight.
3
The takht held the whole evening
Carpet-draped benches, a brass samovar always near boiling — the furniture set the tempo for hours of recitation.
4
Turquoise tile framed the gaze
Arched tilework and arabesque borders pulled the eye toward the painted scene and held it there for the night.