Description:

 AN ILLUSTRATED BIFOLIO, ZAND DYNASTY, 18TH CENTURY
Persia, 18th century

Description:
Ink, opaque watercolour, and gold on paper; Persian manuscript bifolio written in elegant nasta‘liq script in black and red ink. The text is arranged in four columns, framed by illuminated borders. The margins are richly illustrated with a finely painted garden scene depicting figures in contemplative poses, including seated elders and winged angelic beings in a rocky, flowering landscape. The brilliant lapis background and delicate detailing of foliage, robes, and clouds highlight the finesse of late Safavid and early Zand painting styles. 

Dimensions:
35cm x 28cm

Comparable examples:

  • Sotheby’s, London, Arts of the Islamic World, 26 April 2023, Lot 56, an 18th-century Persian illustrated bifolio, £6,985 

  • Bonhams, London, Islamic and Indian Art, 25 October 2022, Lot 39, a Zand period illustrated folio with poetic text, £5,100 

  • Christie’s, London, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds, 27 October 2022, Lot 111, Persian manuscript folio with figural painting, £7,560 

Provenance:
Private European collection. Acquired in the UK in the early 2000s.

Note:
Manuscript illustrations from the Zand period are prized for their subtle evolution from Safavid aesthetics, retaining the lyrical elegance and delicate coloration that define Persian miniature art. Scenes such as this one, with allegorical figures and angels, were often drawn from poetic epics and imbued with symbolic meaning.

 

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May 6, 2025 1:00 PM BST
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