Description:

 SEATED YOUTH STUDYING, ILLUMINATED, SAFAVID, 17TH CENTURY
Persia, Safavid dynasty, 17th century

Description:
A finely executed and illuminated Persian miniature depicting a youthful figure seated cross-legged in contemplative study. The young man is rendered with exceptional delicacy, clothed in finely patterned garments with a turban, surrounded by an intricately detailed landscape with flora and architectural framing. The illumination includes gilded highlights. Executed in gouache, ink, and gold on paper, this painting is a classic example of the refined Safavid style, blending lyrical realism with decorative elegance. The scholar’s posture and expression suggest introspection and devotion to learning, a popular theme in Persian court painting that reflects the cultural esteem for knowledge and poetry during the Safavid era.

Dimensions: TBC

Comparable examples:

  • A Safavid miniature depicting a scholar with manuscript, Isfahan school, late 17th century, sold at Sotheby’s, Arts of the Islamic World, 1 May 2019, Lot 38, for £87,500.

  • A Persian miniature of a youth reading in a garden, attributed to the school of Riza Abbasi, circa 1630, sold at Christie’s, Islamic and Indian Art, 8 October 2015, Lot 122, for £68,750.

  • An illuminated Safavid manuscript folio featuring a seated figure, signed and dated 1642, sold at Bonhams, Islamic and Indian Art, 23 October 2018, Lot 96, for £52,500.

Note:
Miniatures of this quality, particularly those that celebrate intellectual pursuits, were often produced for albums (muraqqa) commissioned by the Safavid elite. The fine brushwork, harmonious composition, and sensitive portrayal of the youth all point to a master artist trained in the traditions of the Isfahan school, likely influenced by or working in the orbit of Riza Abbasi.

The three text-only folios exhibit finely penned Persian poetry enclosed within cloud bands and ruled in gold, black, and blue, surrounded by delicate cornerpieces and marginal illumination featuring floral motifs in gold and polychrome.

Dimensions: 30 x 24 cm (each folio)

This bifolio reflects the grandeur of 17th-century Safavid manuscript production, particularly in its balance of lyrical calligraphy and courtly figural art, often produced for the elite or high-ranking patrons.

Comparable examples:

  • A bifolio from a Safavid Shahnameh, Isfahan school, c. 1650, sold at Sotheby’s, London, Arts of the Islamic World, 1 May 2019, Lot 103, for £20,000.

  • An illustrated folio from a Shahnameh, Persia, Safavid, circa 1640–50, sold at Christie’s, London, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds, 25 October 2018, Lot 79, for £22,500.

  • A text folio from a Safavid royal Shahnameh, with gold illumination and nastaʿliq script, sold at Bonhams, London, Islamic and Indian Art, 30 April 2019, Lot 42, for £12,000.

Note:
The Shahnameh—a foundational Persian epic by Ferdowsi—was often copied and illustrated for royal libraries and princely patrons under the Safavids, who saw themselves as successors to Iran’s imperial past. This bifolio, with its elegant composition and luminous palette, is a testament to the enduring prestige of manuscript culture in 17th-century Persia.

 

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May 6, 2025 1:00 PM BST
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