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PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT PRIVATE COLLECTIONThe following five lots provide a glimpse into the fashion and development of life-size oil paintings of Qajar beauties and narrative paintings throughout the 19th century. Oil paintings of these genres were produced in series to decorate the walls of palaces. More often than not they were unsigned and undated, so their attribution is based on dress and stylistic grounds. While oil painting had already been introduced to Iran and was used by both the Zand and Afsharid dynasties for state portraits, the early Qajars took this medium to new heights. Such oil paintings formed an integral part of the aristocracy’s houses and palace architecture, and one must imagine viewing them after traveling through a carefully planned succession of courtyards, gardens, and gateways.

A GIRL HOLDING A CUP

QAJAR IRAN, FIRST QUARTER 19TH CENTURY

Details

A GIRL HOLDING A CUP
QAJAR IRAN, FIRST QUARTER 19TH CENTURY
Oil on canvas, framed
51in. (129cm.) framed; 48in. (122cm.) high unframed

Special notice

These lots have been imported from outside the EU or, if the UK has withdrawn from the EU without an agreed transition deal, from outside of the UK for sale and placed under the Temporary Admission regime. Import VAT is payable at 5% on the hammer price. VAT at 20% will be added to the buyer’s premium but will not be shown separately on our invoice.

Conditions of sale

Brought to you by

Sara Plumbly

splumbly@christies.com +44 20 7389 2374

Lot Essay

This delicately drawn girl with beautifully painted facial features is depicted holding a cup full of wine in one hand and a bottle in another, wearing a transparent top which reveals her numerous minute tattoos. Wine in Persian culture is a metaphor for earthly and divine love. In discussion of a similar portrait of a seductive lady, Layla Diba suggests that images such as this would have had a strong erotic and aesthetic impact ‘designed to fan the flames of male viewers ardour’ (Diba, 1999, p.159).

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