FIVE ROYAL QAJAR LETTERS RELATING TO MIRZA REZA KHAN, ARFA' AL-DAWLA

QAJAR IRAN, LATE 19TH/EARLY 20TH CENTURY

Details

FIVE ROYAL QAJAR LETTERS RELATING TO MIRZA REZA KHAN, ARFA' AL-DAWLA
QAJAR IRAN, LATE 19TH/EARLY 20TH CENTURY
Ink and opaque pigments heightened with gold on paper, all with lines of elegant black nasta'liq in clouds reserved against gold-illuminated ground, the first with lion and sun stamps and set on a ground of scrolling gold arabesques, the second with the seal of Muzaffar al-Din Shah Qajar (r.1853-1907), copied in his hand and with an illuminated crest above, the third with an elegant bismillah at the beginning in gold, the fourth divided into two columns, a hand written annotation above surrounded by a gold and polychrome illuminated boteh, the fifth with a seal impression and dated AH 1297/1879-80 AD in the lower left hand corner on gold and polychrome floral margins, together with a photographic print of a further letter with added gold and polychrome illumination and a further smaller letter with a seal stamp
Largest 22¾ x 16¼in. (57.8 x 41.2cm.)

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Lot Essay

Mirza Reza Khan (1846-1939) was a prominent diplomat, politician and linguist of the late Qajar period. He is particularly remembered for his nomination as Minister Plenipotentiary to Russia (1895-1901) and representing Persia at the Hague Convention of 1899. Originally from Tabriz, Mirza Reza Khan studied in Constantinople and in Tiflis where he learnt French, English and Russian. He was first sent to Russia in 1876 at the request of the Turkish government to act as a mediator on behalf of captive Turkish citizens. For full details on the letters included in this lot, please contact the department.

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