Description:

 AN EARLY QAJAR PAINTING OF A DANCING MAIDEN
Persia, Early 19th Century

Description:
A captivating and finely executed Qajar period painting depicting a dancing maiden, rendered in gouache and ink on paper. The maiden is portrayed in motion, adorned in traditional Persian costume—her garments flowing rhythmically, capturing a moment of lively festivity. The painting reflects the distinct stylistic elements of the early Qajar artistic revival, characterized by elegant figures, rich textiles, and expressive facial features.

This composition likely represents a courtly or aristocratic entertainment scene, evoking the opulence of the early 19th-century Persian court under Fath-Ali Shah Qajar. The painter has emphasized the dancer's grace and femininity, with delicate attention to jewelry, costume embroidery, and her animated gesture, framed within a stylized background.

Such paintings were typically produced for album pages (muraqqa') and prized by noble patrons for private enjoyment, often reflecting Persian ideals of beauty, music, and poetry.

Dimensions:

  • Painting: 38 x 29.5 cm

  • Folio: 25 x 16 cm

Comparable Examples:

  • A Qajar album leaf of a dancing girl, Sotheby’s, 2014, sold for £11,250.

  • A painting of a female musician, Qajar school, Christie’s, 2007, fetched £9,375.

  • Similar figures appear in the Golestan Palace Collection, Tehran, emphasizing courtly aesthetics of the era.

Note:
This work is a beautifully preserved example of early Qajar artistry, ideal for collectors of Persian painting, courtly art, or orientalist aesthetics. Its subject matter—graceful and joyful—captures the spirit of Persian cultural expression during one of its most artistically rich dynasties.

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May 6, 2025 1:00 PM BST
London, United Kingdom

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Bid Increments
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£0 £99 £5
£100 £199 £10
£200 £499 £20
£500 £999 £50
£1,000 £1,999 £100
£2,000 £4,999 £200
£5,000 £9,999 £500
£10,000 £19,999 £1,000
£20,000 £49,999 £2,000
£50,000 £99,999 £5,000
£100,000 £199,999 £10,000
£200,000 £499,999 £20,000
£500,000 £999,999 £50,000
£1,000,000 + £100,000