Description:

 AN ILLUMINATED SAFAVID MINIATURE OF A YOUTH HOLDING A POMEGRANATE, 17TH CENTURY
Persia, 17th century

Description:
Ink, opaque watercolour, and gold on paper; this elegant Safavid miniature portrays a youthful figure in a flowing robe, holding a pomegranate in one hand and a wine cup in the other. The composition is delicately drawn with fine line work and soft tonal washes, capturing the graceful posture and serene expression of the subject. The background features sparse yet finely detailed floral elements and rocky outcrops, rendered in light washes typical of Isfahan school miniatures of the period. The image is set within a cream inner border and deep navy outer margin, lending a sense of visual depth and balance.

Dimensions:
31 x 22.5cm

Comparable examples:

  • Sotheby’s, London, Arts of the Islamic World, 26 April 2023, Lot 19, Safavid drawing of a standing youth, Isfahan school, £8,820 

  • Christie’s, London, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds, 27 October 2022, Lot 122, Persian miniature of a youth with a pomegranate, 17th century, £10,080 

  • Bonhams, London, Islamic and Indian Art, 11 June 2020, Lot 54, ink and wash drawing of a Safavid courtier, £7,395 

Note:
Miniatures of single standing figures became a hallmark of Persian painting under the Safavids, especially in the Isfahan school, where elegance and introspection were prized qualities. The pomegranate, often symbolising fertility and divine blessing, enhances the poetic and allegorical nature of this image, aligning it with the literary themes found in Persian poetry of the era.

 

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May 6, 2025 1:00 PM BST
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£2,000 £4,999 £200
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£10,000 £19,999 £1,000
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£500,000 £999,999 £50,000
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