Sotheby's Auctions » Arts of the
Islamic World, including 20th Century Middle Eastern
Paintings » lot 37
Sale L03220
f - Standing portrait of Fath Ali Shah Qajar
(r.1797-1834), signed by Ahmad, Persia, dated
A.H.1226/A.D.1811
London, Bond Street 8,000—10,000 GBP Session 1
30 Apr 03 10:30 AM
MEASUREMENTS
miniature 33.5 by 22.5cm.
album page 47 by 32cm.
DESCRIPTION
gouache with gold on paper, laid down on an album page,
inner border of small floral scrolls in colours on a pale
pink ground, ruled in colours and gold, the outer border
of blue paper decorated with fine floral scrolls in gold,
inscribed ''Al-Sultan Fath Ali Shah Qajar''
The inscription in a cartouche below the standing
portrait reads
raqam be-safheh be-farman-e shah-e giti zad
gholamzadeh-ye shahnshah jahan ahmad
(the son of the slave of the king of kings of the world,
Ahmad wrote/painted on the page by the order of the king
of the world)
Karimzadeh records two painters named Ahmad however both
are likely to be one same artist. The first (Vol.I,
pp.51-2, no.83) is mentioned as a pen-box and watercolour
painter of Fath Ali Shah's reign. He is said to have been
skillful in portraits but also in depictions of stories
and landscapes. His recorded works include two
watercolours, one a portrait of Fath Ali Shah, the other
a portrait of Muhammad Shah (thus pointing to the fact
that the artist's carreer extended to the reign of
Muhammad Shah). Karimzadeh's next entry (no.84) refers to
a second painter named Ahmad. He adds that this artist
was an oil painter who worked under Fath Ali Shah and
Muhammad Shah. Ahmad the oil painter is again mentioned
in the Cambridge History of Iran (C.H.IR, vol.7, p.879)
where one of his portraits of Fath Ali Shah is illustated
(pl.20). He is refered to as follows 'Among the second
generation of court painters, active towards the end of
Fath Ali Shah's reign and during that of his grandson and
successor Muhammad Shah, the best was probably Ahmad who,
to judge from his early style, may well have been a pupil
of Mihr Ali'. Indeed, the present work can be compared to
two large oil paintings of Fath Ali Shah standing by Mihr
Ali, dating from just before and just after this
watercolour (1809-10 and 1813 respectively) (see Diba
& Ekhtiar 1998, p.183, no.39; and Falk 1972, no.15).
For another oil painting of Fath Ali Shah by Ahmad see
sale in these rooms 3rd May 2001, lot 69.
Seen on www.Sothebys.com
For Further Reading:
Thanks and best wishes,
J. Barry O'Connell Jr.
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