PORTRAIT OF A YOUTH, SHAH QULI SCHOOL, 16TH CENTURY

Pen and ink heightened with gold on paper, a youth stands wearing flowing fur-lined robes and hat holding a white rose in his right hand, around hem a leafy landscape with flowering trees, shrubs and birds, laid down between minor borders of black and gold strapwork and neat black nasta’liq cartouches on wide margins decorated with gold floral motifs with red and blue accents. 21.5 by 14 cm.

CATALOGUE NOTE According to the account by Sam Mirza Safavi, Shah Quli was a master of painting and geomancy and his poetry bears the takhalus Alvani. He was originally from Qum but was active in Tabriz as a pupil of Aqa Mirak. He then immigrated to the Turkish court of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent (r. 1520–66).