SIGNED BY MU'IN MUSAVVIR, ISFAHAN, AH 1109/1697-8 AD

Details

PORTRAIT OF DARVISH MUHAMMAD KHATIB
SIGNED BY MU'IN MUSAVVIR, ISFAHAN, AH 1109/1697-8 AD
Tinted brush drawing on paper, the darvish sits beneath a tree with prayer beads in hand, surrounded by envelopes and bag, with an inscription to the lower left side which reads Sabih-i Darvish Muhammad Khatib? dar Jumadi al thani sana 11[0]9, Mu'in Musavvir (Portrait of Darvish Muhammad Khatib? on Jumadi II, the year 1109, [by] Mu'in Musavvir), with gold margin within white rules mounted on teal card with gold and silver floral and animal illumination
Miniature 6 3/8 x 3¾in. (16.2 x 9.5cm.); Folio 11¾ x 7¼in. (29.9 x 18.9cm.)

Provenance

Sevadjian Collection, sold Hotel Drouot, Paris, 20 March 1961, lot 12. Anon sale, Sotheby's London, 20 November 1986, lot 186 (to present vendor).

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis. Please note that the lots of Iranian origin are subject to U.S. trade restrictions which currently prohibit the import into the United States. Similar restrictions may apply in other countries.

Lot Essay

Both the seated position adopted and the hat worn by this character are reminiscent of those depicted in a number of Reza 'Abbasi's drawings (see Sheila R. Canby, The Rebellious Reformer. The drawings and paintings of Riza-yi 'Abbasi of Isfahan, London, 1996, in particular: cats. 28 and 102, pgs. 63 and 139). Mu'in studied under 'Abbasi, and elements of many of Mu'in's works can be seen to echo 'Abbasi's style.
Several possibilities exist for the reading of the date on the folio. The reading AH 1109 (1697-8 AD) seems most likely and also fits comfortably into Mu'in's career.

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