This polylobed fragment of velvet was probably produced in Yazd, one of the most important centres of textile production in Safavid Persia, in the sixteenth century. In addition to the vegetal and floral decorations, these pieces depict hunting or court scenes, and even images inspired by the literature of the time.

This example is thought to depict Iskandar (Alexander the Great) attempting to kill a dragon with a stone, a legendary episode that was extremely popular during this period. These compositions were usually created by book artists, miniaturist painters, in either court or urban workshops.

It is possible that this fragment may have decorated an Ottoman tent in the military campaigns that took place during the second siege of Vienna in 1683. Fragments identical to this one can be seen in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, in the Textile Museum, Washington, and the Cleveland Museum of Art.