Lot Essay
The unusual composition of the piece suggests that it may have come from, or been intended for, a series of illustrations of the constellations. The cup-shape seen here is exactly that used at the period for the constellation of the same name.
Shafi' 'Abbasi, the son of Riza 'Abbasi, is best known for his drawings of flowers and plants. he was active at the court of Shah 'Abbas I and Shah 'Abbas II, subsequently going to India where he died in Agra in 1674 AD. An album now in the British Museum contains at least three drawings by him, all of flowers and plants. His work also included portraits and he had a reputation as a fine calligrapher. Here his skill at both drawing and calligraphy is apparent.
Gray, B.: An Album of Designs for Persian Textiles, in Aus der Welt der Islamischen Kunst: Festschrift Für Ernst Kühnel, 1959, pp.219-225
Shafi' 'Abbasi, the son of Riza 'Abbasi, is best known for his drawings of flowers and plants. he was active at the court of Shah 'Abbas I and Shah 'Abbas II, subsequently going to India where he died in Agra in 1674 AD. An album now in the British Museum contains at least three drawings by him, all of flowers and plants. His work also included portraits and he had a reputation as a fine calligrapher. Here his skill at both drawing and calligraphy is apparent.
Gray, B.: An Album of Designs for Persian Textiles, in Aus der Welt der Islamischen Kunst: Festschrift Für Ernst Kühnel, 1959, pp.219-225