Portrait of Muhammad Shah Padishah

Historical period(s)
Safavid period, 1580s-1590s
Medium
Ink and gold on paper
Dimensions
H x W (sheet & image): 10.2 x 15.4 cm (4 x 6 1/16 in)
Geography
Iran
Credit Line
Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Accession Number
F1947.22
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Drawing
Type

Drawing

Keywords
arrow, bow, horse, horseman, Iran, portrait, Safavid period (1501 - 1722)
Provenance

To 1947
Heeramaneck Galleries, New York. [1]

From 1947
Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from Heeramaneck Galleries, New York. [2]

Notes:

[1] Curatorial Remark 1 in the object record.

[2] See note 1.

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

Heeramaneck Galleries

Label

The rider urges his mount with a short whip commonly used by Turkmen or Mongol horsemen. However, the detail of the face and the highly expressive, almost calligraphic lines, used to delineate the horseman and his steed, are typical of late 16th century Iranian drawings as exemplified by the work of artists like Sadiqi Beg. The inscription at the top of the image, which is not contemporary with it, reads "Portrait of Muhammad Shah Padshah."

Published References
  • Islamic Art: An Exhibition of Metalwork, Pottery, Textiles, and Persian Calligraphy and Miniatures Lent by Heeramaneck Galleries, New York. Exh. cat. Washington. .
  • Rudolf Meyer Riefstahl. An Exhibition of Persian and Indian Miniature Painting from the Collections of DeMotte, Inc. Exh. cat. New York. cat. 39.
  • Edgar Blochet. Catalogue of an Exhibition of Persian Paintings...held at the Gallery Demotte Inc. Exh. cat. New York. cat. 110.
  • Dr. Esin Atil. The Brush of the Masters: Drawings from Iran and India. Exh. cat. Washington, 1978. cat. 11, p. 31.
  • Richard Ettinghausen, Archibald Gibson Wenley. Aus der Welt der Islamischen Kunst: Festschrift fur Ernst Kuhnel. Berlin. p. 353.
  • Jose Pijoan. Arte Islamico. vol. 12, Summa artis, historia general del arte, 1st ed. Madrid. p. 370, fig. 515.
Collection Area(s)
Arts of the Islamic World
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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